睇 (dì) - to look & to see
睇 · dì
to look;
to see;
to gaze (Cantonese and some southern dialects);
to glance;
to stare at.
to lookto seeto gaze (Cantonese and some southern dialects)
Usage highlights
to lookto watch a movieto see a doctorto look atto read a bookto gaze into the distance
Usage & contexts
Examples
- Let me take a look (睇下).
- He is watching a movie (睇电影).
- I went to see a doctor (睇医生).
- Please look this way (请睇呢边).
Collocations
- to look(睇)
- to watch a movie(睇电影)
- to see a doctor(睇医生)
- to look at(睇下)
- to read a book(睇书)
- to gaze into the distance(睇远)
Idioms
- To look down upon from a height(高瞻远瞩 - not directly containing 睇, but similar meaning)
- To look with despise(狗眼看人低 - colloquial, related meaning)
- To turn a blind eye(视而不见 - classical equivalent)
Cultural background
FAQ- Primarily used in Cantonese and southern Chinese dialects as the common word for 'to look' or 'to see'.
- In Mandarin, it is less common and may carry a more literary or regional flavor.
- The character contains the 'eye' radical (目), clearly indicating its association with vision.