Detect Multiple Keywords in a Python String with any(), Regex, and Custom Functions

Introduction

In a recent Python community discussion, a user asked how to determine if a string contains any of several keywords such as "宿舍", "公寓", or "酒店" and return 1 if a match is found.

Solution Overview

Several contributors suggested different approaches, including using a list comprehension with any(), regular expressions, and a custom function that returns 1 upon a match. Below are three consolidated implementations.

Method 1: any() Function

This method leverages any() with a list comprehension to check for the presence of any keyword.

s = '宿舍 饿了 酒店'
any([x in s for x in ['宿舍', '公寓', '酒店']])

The expression evaluates to True if any keyword is found.

Method 2: Regular Expression

Using the re module, we can search for any of the keywords with a single pattern.

import re
text = '宿舍 饿了 酒店'
re.search('宿舍|公寓|酒店', text)

The search function returns a match object when a keyword is present.

Method 3: Custom Function Returning 1

A custom function iterates over the keyword list and returns 1 as soon as a match is found.

# coding: utf-8
import re

def find_kw(text):
    kw = ['宿舍', '公寓', '酒店']
    for k in kw:
        f_t = re.search(k, text)  # Returns a match object or None
        if f_t:
            return 1

if __name__ == '__main__':
    text = '我住在希尔顿酒店'
    result = find_kw(text)
    if result:
        print(result)  # Prints 1 if a keyword is found

This approach can be easily adapted to return other values or perform additional actions.

Conclusion

The three methods demonstrate flexible ways to solve the keyword‑search problem in Python. Depending on the specific requirements—whether you need a boolean result, a match object, or a custom return value—you can choose the most suitable implementation.