() - To spy on & to peek at

Tone 1

qū | 18 strokes | radical:

·

To spy on;

to peek at;

to watch stealthily;

to look at furtively.

To spy onto peek atto watch stealthily

Usage highlights

To spy onTo peek stealthilyTo glance sidewaysTo watch intentlyTo observe furtivelyTo look at carefully

Synonyms

  • to peep, to spy
  • to glance, to take aim
  • 窥视to peep at, to spy on

Antonyms

  • 直视to look directly at
  • 正视to face squarely, to look straight at

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He was peeking through the keyhole (从钥匙孔里偷觑).
  • The cat watched the mouse hole intently (猫在觑着老鼠洞).
  • She glanced sideways at her friend's test paper (她斜觑着朋友的试卷).
  • The detective observed the suspect from a distance (侦探从远处觑着嫌疑人).

Collocations

  • To spy on(窥觑)
  • To peek stealthily(偷觑)
  • To glance sideways(斜觑)
  • To watch intently(觑着)
  • To observe furtively(觑视)
  • To look at carefully(细觑)

Idioms

  • Looking askance with cold eyes(冷眼相觑)
  • Staring at each other in blank dismay(面面相觑)
  • Watching with greedy eyes(贪婪觑视)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character carries connotations of stealthy observation, often with suspicious or secretive intent.
  • In literary contexts, it suggests careful examination or scrutiny, not necessarily negative.
  • The radical 見 (see) combined with 虍 (tiger) creates the imagery of watching like a tiger stalking prey.

FAQ