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One Chinese character can have many different meanings. 看 (kàn) has at least 5! Can you guess them all?
看: to watch; to read
This might be the first meaning of 看 (kàn) that you've learned.
It points at actions we do with our eyes - watch, read, etc.
For example:
看电影
kàn diàn yǐng
to watch a movie
看书
kàn shū
to read a book
看: to see, meet (a friend)
When you visit a friend, a relative - say, your grandma - at her house, you can also use 看 (kàn) to say "to see".
For example:
去朋友家看朋友
qù péng you jiā kàn péng you
to visit a friend at his/her house
[Literal meaning: to go-friend-home-to see-friend]
看: to see (a doctor)
When you go to the hospital to see a doctor, you can also use 看(kàn):
看病
kàn bìng
to see a doctor
[Literal meaning: to see-illness]
or
看医生
kàn yī shēng
to see a doctor
看: to watch out
If you're walking down the street with a friend, and he/she suddenly shouts, 看车! (Kàn chē!) "Look-Car!", it means:
"Be careful, watch out (a car is coming)!"
看: to think; to consider
看 (kàn) also means "to think" or "to consider".
For example:
我看这个计划不错。
Wǒ kàn zhè ge jì huà bù cuò
I think this plan is great
你怎么看？
Nǐ zěn me kàn?
What do you think?
来源: That's Mandarin
编辑: 万月英
