Chinese Verb "看" (kàn)

to look / to see / to read / to watch

Perception verb

Basic Usage

Look at

Subject + 看 + object

看这个！

Kàn zhège!

Look at this!

Read

Subject + 看 + book/text

我喜欢看书。

Wǒ xǐhuān kàn shū.

I like to read books.

Completed Action (了 (le))

Completed with 了

Subject + 看 + 了 + object

我看了那部电影。

Wǒ kàn le nà bù diànyǐng.

I watched that movie.

Experience (过 (guò))

Experience with 过

Subject + 看 + 过 + object

你看过这本书吗？

Nǐ kàn guò zhè běn shū ma?

Have you read this book?

Ongoing Action (在/着)

In progress with 在

Subject + 在 + 看 + object

他在看电视。

Tā zài kàn diànshì.

He is watching TV.

Future / Intent (会/要/想)

Future / want

Subject + 想 + 看

我想看一部新电影。

Wǒ xiǎng kàn yí bù xīn diànyǐng.

I want to watch a new movie.

Negation (不/没)

Negative with 不

Subject + 不看 + object

我不看恐怖片。

Wǒ bù kàn kǒngbù piàn.

I don't watch horror movies.

Negative past

Subject + 没看 + object

我没看到他。

Wǒ méi kàn dào tā.

I didn't see him.

Common Compounds & Related Words

Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning
看见	kànjiàn	to see / to catch sight of
看起来	kàn qǐlái	to look like / to appear
看病	kànbìng	to see a doctor
好看	hǎokàn	good-looking / interesting

Example Sentences

看起来不错！

Kàn qǐlái bùcuò!

Looks great!

你看见我的手机了吗？

Nǐ kànjiàn wǒ de shǒujī le ma?

Did you see my phone?

让我看看。

Ràng wǒ kàn kàn.

Let me take a look.