看
to look; to watch; to read
kàn
What does 看 mean?
看 (kàn) is the all-purpose Chinese verb for using your eyes — to look, to watch, to read, and even to visit. Chinese doesn't split these meanings the way English does: you 看电视 'watch TV,' 看书 'read a book,' 看医生 'see a doctor,' and 看朋友 'visit a friend.' The verb is neutral in register and works in every context from casual chat to formal writing.
Two notes: first, 看 alone often means a quick glance, while 看见 / 看到 means 'to see (successfully)' — the result of looking. Second, when 看 is reduplicated 看看 ('take a look'), it softens the verb into a casual, low-pressure request: 我看看 'let me take a peek.' For 'to read aloud / study,' use 读 or 念 instead.
Character breakdown
to look (a hand 手 over an eye 目 — shading the eye to see better)
Memory hook: The top of 看 is 手 (hand); the bottom is 目 (eye). A hand over the eye, shading it to look into the distance.
Example sentences
我喜欢看书。
Wǒ xǐhuan kàn shū.
I like reading.
neutral
你看，那是我妈妈。
Nǐ kàn, nà shì wǒ māma.
Look — that's my mom.
spoken
晚上我们一起看电影吧。
Wǎnshang wǒmen yìqǐ kàn diànyǐng ba.
Let's watch a movie together tonight.
spoken
他生病了，要去看医生。
Tā shēngbìng le, yào qù kàn yīshēng.
He's sick and has to see a doctor.
neutral
Common phrases with 看
Hear it in real Fluentide episodes
看 appears in 14 podcast episodes at natural native speed, with full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Synonyms
Don't confuse 看 with
FAQ
Related words from the same episodes
Acquire by listening
Hear 看 in real Chinese, not in a flashcard.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this word shows up again and again in real sentences. Pinyin, translation, and the episode where you heard it — every time. Free to start, no card.