看 (kàn) - to look & to see

看Tone 4

kàn ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 目

俊梁

看 · kàn

to look;

to see;

to watch;

to read;

to visit;

to consider;

to regard

to lookto seeto watch

Usage highlights

to look atto read a bookto watch televisionto see a doctorto visit someoneto look after

Synonyms

  • 见— to see; to meet
  • 视— to look at; to regard
  • 观— to observe; to watch
  • 望— to look into the distance; to hope

Antonyms

  • 闭— to close; to shut
  • 盲— blind
  • 忽视— to ignore; to neglect

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I am reading a book (看书).
  • Please look at the blackboard (看黑板).
  • He is watching television (看电视).
  • We will visit our teacher tomorrow (看老师).
  • How do you see this matter?(看这件事)

Collocations

  • to look at(看)
  • to read a book(看书)
  • to watch television(看电视)
  • to see a doctor(看病)
  • to visit someone(看人)
  • to look after(看护)

Idioms

  • To look on from a high vantage point(高瞻远瞩)
  • To look at flowers from horseback(走马看花)
  • To look at the sky from the bottom of a well(坐井观天)
  • To look on with folded arms(袖手旁观)
  • To look upon with special favor(另眼相看)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character combines the hand radical (手/扌) over the eye radical (目), suggesting shielding one's eyes to see better.
  • In Chinese culture, '看' extends beyond physical sight to include judgment, consideration, and visiting as acts of respect.
  • The character appears in many common expressions related to perception, evaluation, and social interaction.

FAQ