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看见 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
看见kànjiànto seeHSK 1, v, rank #312, Easy
看见kànjiànto catch sight ofHSK 1, v, rank #312, Easy
kànjiàn(kan4jian4) T4
  1. 1to see
  2. 2to catch sight of
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March 24, 2026
看见(看見)kànjiàn(kan4jian4)

看见 (kànjiàn) means 'to see' or 'to catch sight of.' It is commonly used to describe the act of perceiving something visually. This word is often used in everyday contexts when discussing what one has seen or witnessed.

Frequency#312DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of seeing often has deeper implications, such as gaining insight or understanding. For example, the phrase '看见真相' (kànjiàn zhēnxiàng) means 'to see the truth,' implying a revelation beyond mere sight.

Memory Tip

Imagine you are looking through a pair of glasses (看) and you suddenly spot a beautiful scene (见). The character 看 has a component that resembles an eye, reminding you that it relates to seeing, while 见 reinforces the idea of sight.

Meanings of 看见

kànjiàn(kan4jian4)
1to see
2to catch sight of
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 看见

看见Simplified
看見Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#312Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L1HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 看见

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Podcast: 看见

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AI Study Notes for 看见

Quick Contrast

看 (kàn) vs 看见 (kànjiàn) — use 看 when focusing on the action of looking without the implication of actually perceiving something.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine you are looking through a pair of glasses (看) and you suddenly spot a beautiful scene (见). The character 看 has a component that resembles an eye, reminding you that it relates to seeing, while 见 reinforces the idea of sight.

Usage Notes

Be careful to use 看见 only for visual perception; for experiences or emotions, other verbs may be more appropriate. It is informal, so it's suitable for everyday conversations. Remember to use the correct tone for both syllables: kàn (4th tone) and jiàn (4th tone).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 1 word, 看见 connects with other basic verbs related to actions and perceptions. Focus on practicing its use in simple sentences to describe what you see in your surroundings.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of seeing often has deeper implications, such as gaining insight or understanding. For example, the phrase '看见真相' (kànjiàn zhēnxiàng) means 'to see the truth,' implying a revelation beyond mere sight.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 看见 with other verbs related to perception. For instance, saying '我听见这个人' (Wǒ tīngjiàn zhège rén) is incorrect if you mean to say you saw the person; use '我看见这个人' (Wǒ kànjiàn zhège rén) instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 看见

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Component Characters

看kànto see
HSK 19 strokes目
View full entry
见jiànto appear
HSK 14 strokes见
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Write 看见

看
见

Practice writing 看见 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 看见

看见 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

你向西边看，____西山了吗？

Look towards the west — can you see the Western Hills?

Example Sentences for 看见 (10)

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1
我看见路易丝慢慢地走向公共汽车站。

wǒ kàn jiàn lù yì sī màn màn dì zǒu xiàng gōng gòng qì chē zhàn。

I saw Louise walking slowly to the bus stop.
2
我看见人们出洋相并不幸灾乐祸。

wǒ kàn jiàn rén mén chū yáng xiāng bìng bù xìng zāi lè huò。

I find no pleasure in seeing people make asses of themselves.
3
你需要尽你所能，最大限度地去努力。只要你这么做，只要你能保持乐观，你就会看见乌云背后的幸福线。

nǐ xū yào jìn nǐ suǒ néng， ， zuì dà xiàn dù dì qù nǔ。 lì 。 zhī yào nǐ zhè， mó zuò ， zhī yào nǐ néng bǎo， chí lè guān ， nǐ jiù huì kàn jiàn wū yún bèi hòu。

You have to do everything you can. You have to work your hardest. And if you do, if you stay positive, then you have a shot at a silver lining.
4
在街上看见有人饿晕是很平常的事。

zài jiē shàng kàn jiàn yǒu rén è yùn shì hěn píng cháng de shì。

It's commonplace to see people collapsing from hunger in the streets.
5
我们靠近时,我看见汽车行李箱的盖子翘了起来.

wǒ mén kào jìn shí, , wǒ kàn jiàn qì chē háng lǐ xiāng de gài zǐ qiáo le qǐ.

As we drew near, I saw that the boot lid was up.
6
当地的居民看见它伴着一声震耳欲聋的巨响撞向地面。

dāng dì de jū mín kàn jiàn tā bàn zháo yī shēng zhèn ěr yù lóng de jù xiǎng zhuàng xiàng dì miàn。

Local residents saw it plunge towards Earth with a deafening roar.
7
他看见少校的脸离他自己的只有几英寸.

tā kàn jiàn shǎo xiào de liǎn lí tā zì jǐ de zhī yǒu jī yīng cùn.

He saw the Major's face a few inches from his own.
8
安德鲁过去只要看见狗，无论在哪里，无论什么狗，都会吓得一动不动。

ān dé lǔ guò qù zhī yào kàn jiàn gǒu， ， wú lùn zài nǎ， lǐ ， wú lùn shí， mó gǒu ， dū huì xià dé yī。

Andrew went rigid when he saw a dog, any dog, anywhere.
9
我看见另有一些模糊的影子晃了一下就不见了。

wǒ kàn jiàn lìng yǒu yī xiē mó hū de yǐng zǐ huǎng le yī xià jiù bù jiàn le。

I saw other indistinct shapes that stayed out of vision.
10
我们看见又有两只野猫在黑暗中悄悄向我们靠近。

wǒ mén kàn jiàn yòu yǒu liǎng zhī yě māo zài hēi àn zhōng qiǎo qiǎo xiàng wǒ mén kào jìn。

We saw two more wild cats creeping towards us in the darkness.

Cultural Notes for 看见

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the act of seeing often has deeper implications, such as gaining insight or understanding. For example, the phrase '看见真相' (kànjiàn zhēnxiàng) means 'to see the truth,' implying a revelation beyond mere sight.

Frequently Asked Questions about 看见

No, 看见 specifically refers to seeing. For hearing, use 听见 (tīngjiàn), and for feeling, use 感觉 (gǎnjué).