Beginner Chinese Lesson: 看 (kàn) vs 见 (jiàn) | How and When to Use Them in Everyday Conversations

What Does 看 (kàn) Mean?

• 看 (kàn) = "to look," "to watch," "to read"

• Implies active focus or intentional lookingExamples:

• 我看书 (wǒ kàn shū) – "I read a book"

• 我看电影 (wǒ kàn diàn yǐng) – "I watch a movie"

Additional Meanings of 看 (kàn)

• To Consider:

  • 我看这个主意不错 (wǒ kàn zhè gè zhǔ yì bú cuò) – "I think this idea is good"

• To Visit Someone:

  • 我去看医生 (wǒ qù kàn yī shēng) – "I go to see the doctor"

  • Note: 看 (kàn) here means “to visit” a person, not a place.

What Does 见 (jiàn) Mean?

• 见 (jiàn) = "to see" or "to meet"

• Implies something or someone coming into viewExamples:

• 我今天见到他了 (wǒ jīn tiān jiàn dào tā le) – "I saw him today"

• 明天见 (míng tiān jiàn) – "See you tomorrow"

Additional Meaning of 见 (jiàn)

• To Appear:

  • 雨后见彩虹 (yǔ hòu jiàn cǎi hóng) – "After the rain, you can see a rainbow"

When 看 (kàn) and 见 (jiàn) Can Be Interchangeable

• Example: 我看见他了 / 我看到他了 (wǒ kàn jiàn tā le / wǒ kàn dào tā le) – "I saw him"

  • 看见 (kàn jiàn) puts more focus on actively seeing

  • 看到 (kàn dào) emphasizes something coming into sight

When 看 (kàn) and 见 (jiàn) Are Not Interchangeable

• To Watch or Read: Use 看 (kàn)

  • 我看电影 (wǒ kàn diàn yǐng) – "I watch a movie"

  • 我看书 (wǒ kàn shū) – "I read a book"

• To Meet Someone: Use 见 (jiàn)

  • 我明天见他 (wǒ míng tiān jiàn tā) – "I’ll see him tomorrow"

• To Visit Someone: Use 看 (kàn)

  • 我去看医生 (wǒ qù kàn yī shēng) – "I go to see the doctor" (visit a person, not a place)

Summary

• 看 (kàn) = to actively look, watch, read, consider, or visit a person

• 见 (jiàn) = to see, meet, or for something to appear