觑 (qù) - To spy on & to peep at

觑Tone 4

qù ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

情仁

觑 · qù

To spy on;

to peep at;

to watch stealthily;

to look at furtively.

To spy onto peep atto watch stealthily

Usage highlights

To spy onTo peep atTo watch stealthilyTo observe furtivelyTo glance sidewaysTo look askance

Synonyms

  • 窥— to peep, to spy
  • 瞄— to glance, to take aim
  • 瞥— to glance briefly
  • 窥视— to peep at, to spy on

Antonyms

  • 直视— to look directly at
  • 正视— to face squarely, to look straight at
  • 凝视— to gaze fixedly

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He was peeping through the keyhole (从钥匙孔里窥觑).
  • The detective watched the suspect's movements (侦探觑着嫌疑人的动向).
  • She glanced furtively at her watch during the meeting (她在会议上偷偷觑了一眼手表).
  • The cat peered cautiously around the corner (猫小心翼翼地觑着角落).

Collocations

  • To spy on(觑探)
  • To peep at(偷觑)
  • To watch stealthily(觑视)
  • To observe furtively(觑望)
  • To glance sideways(斜觑)
  • To look askance(冷觑)

Idioms

  • Looking askance with cold eyes(冷眼相觑)
  • Face to face, looking at each other(面面相觑)
  • Watching from the sidelines(旁观冷觑)
  • Looking sideways with disdain(侧目而觑)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character carries connotations of stealth, secrecy, and sometimes suspicion in observation.
  • In literary contexts, it often describes subtle, careful observation rather than overt staring.
  • The character appears in classical Chinese literature to depict characters watching others covertly.

FAQ