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可观 (kě guān) — (formal) worth seeing, impressive; (of amounts, numbers) considerable, sizable, significant

Definition

可观 is a written/formal adjective, used almost exclusively for quantities, sums, and numbers to mean 'considerable, sizable' — contrast with 显著, which describes visible quality or change rather than sheer amount.

adjective
(formal) worth seeingimpressive(of amounts, numbers) considerablesizablesignificant

Examples

  • 可观。
    Zhè ge bó wù guǎn de cáng pǐn dà yǒu kě guān zhī chù.
    The collection of this museum has much that is worth seeing.
  • 可观，。
    Tā de shōu rù xiāng dāng kě guān, měi nián chāo guò bǎi wàn.
    His income is quite considerable, exceeding a million every year.
  • 可观。
    Zhè cì zhāo pìn de bào míng rén shù shí fēn kě guān.
    The number of applicants for this recruitment is very significant.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

可kěworthy of
观guānlook

可 suggests worth having a look, and 观 means to look, so the whole can mean impressive or considerable.

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

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 觀; 观 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
雚
雚guàn觀guān
Same sound today

The traditional form 觀 uses 見 (see) for meaning and 雚 for sound.

Open 观 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Good & Bad

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