看 kàn, kān — to look at, to watch, to read; to consider, to regard; to visit; to consult (a doctor); (kān) to look after, to keep watch over

kàn kān

2 readings — the first is the most common.

to look at, to watch, to read; to consider, to regard; to visit; to consult (a doctor); (kān) to look after, to keep watch over

9 strokesRadical 目Frequency #73

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Pinyin

kàn (fourth tone, falling)most common
kān (first tone, high and level)

to look at, to watch, to read; to consider, to regard; to visit; to consult (a doctor); (kān) to look after, to keep watch over

Character breakdown

Ideographic description

⿱手目The sequence reads left to right and describes how the parts are arranged.

Mnemonic

A hand 手 laid flat above an eye 目 — shading the brow to see into the distance, which is what anyone does looking out across open ground. The hand gives up its hook in this position but keeps its four strokes. The verb goes everywhere: 看书 to read, 看电视 to watch, 看朋友 to visit, 看医生 to see a doctor. In the first tone, kān, the looking becomes guarding: 看门, to keep a door.

A memory aid written by HSK Guide editors. It is not an etymology and does not describe the historical origin of the character.

看 kàn, kān — to look at, to watch, to read; to consider, to regard; to visit; to consult (a doctor); (kān) to look after, to keep watch over

Pinyin

Character breakdown

Mnemonic

Words containing 看

Radical 目 — other characters