And today, we are learning the number 8 most important characters in HSK Level 1, 看, another polyphonic character.
Its first pronunciation is 看, pinyin spelling kan with a fourth tone.
First, it means to see, to look at, to read, to watch, to observe.
It is the most fundamental and most frequently used meaning of this character, and in the opening song (你是人间四月天), it says:
盼望每天都看到你,I look forward to seeing you every day.
So 看到你, to see you.
Watch television, 看电视, 电视 is television.
Read a book, 看书, 书 is a book.
Look out of the window, 看窗外, 窗外, out of the window.
The second meaning of this character is to visit.
Say, to visit a friend, 看朋友, 朋友 is a friend.
看病人, to visit a patient, 病人, patient.
The next meaning is to consider.
我看这样不对, I think this is wrong, in here, 看 is to think about and make a judgment.
So, there’s a word, 看法, 法 is a method, so 看法 is an opinion, or perspective, the method of thinking about something, is a perspective.
高看, 高 is high, so 高看 is to think highly of.
And of course, 小看, 小 is small, and 小看 is to look down upon.
看穿, to see through, 穿 is to pass through, so 看穿 means to penetrate.
Now, the fourth meaning is to look after.
照看, take care, 照 is to light up, to illuminate, so 照看 is a special look, therefore, take care.
照看孩子, to babysit.
照看病人, look after a patient.
照看行李, look after the luggage.
Now, the fifth meaning is to give something a try. This is a fixed use, and it only means to give it a try when 看 is placed after a verb.
For example, try to find it. 找找看, 找 is to look for, 找找看 is an attempt of looking for something.
Anther example, 想想看, try to resolve something, 想 is to think, and 想想看 is the attempt to find a solution.
Now lastly, it means to treat an illness, it’s only doctors of course. 看病, 病 is illness, 看病 is to get the patient looked at, again, it’s a fixed phrase.
Now, on to the 2nd pronunciation, it reads as 看, same pinyin spelling, but with the first tone.
Ke an, kan.
看 is very simple, it means to guard or to watch.
看门, to guard the gate.
看门人, gatekeeper, 人 is person.
看门狗, watchdog, 狗 is dog.
看犯人, to guard the prisoners.
This is another character that is on the top 50 list, so make sure you study it thoroughly.
Alright, that’s all for today, I hope this is useful, make sure you share this episode with your Chinese learning friends, and I will see you next time.