to look; to watch; to read
HSK level
看 is written with 9 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
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.
看 appears in 2 Fluentide podcast episodes at natural native speed — each with the full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
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
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