俯视 (fǔ shì) — to look down at (from above), to overlook | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

俯视 means to look down at something from a height — a physical viewpoint, not a judgment. Unlike 眺望 (gazing into the distance from high up) or 纵观 (surveying broadly), 俯视 emphasizes the downward angle.

verb

to look down at (from above)to overlook

Examples

俯视，。
Cóng gāo lóu shàng fǔ shì, jiē dào xiàng yì tiáo tiáo xì xiàn.
Looking down from the tall building, the streets look like thin lines.
俯视，。
Dēng shàng shān dǐng fǔ shì, zhěng gè shān gǔ jìn shōu yǎn dǐ.
Climbing to the top of the mountain and looking down, the whole valley is in full view.
俯视，粼粼。
Zài zhí shēng jī shàng fǔ shì, hǎi miàn bō guāng lín lín.
Looking down from the helicopter, the sea surface sparkled with rippling light.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

俯fǔlook down

俯 gives the sense of looking down, while 视 means to look, so 俯视 is looking down from above.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

勹勹bāoperson bending over

Sound part声符shēngfú

府

府fǔ俯fǔ

Same sound today

俯 uses 府 to show the sound fǔ and 勹 to show a person bending over; the modern left side comes from 勹.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 視; 视 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

見見jiànsee

Sound part声符shēngfú

示

示shì視shì

Same sound today

The story is about the traditional form 視: it combines 見, meaning see, with 示, which gives the sound shì.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Senses

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