照看 (zhào kàn) — to look after, to take care of | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal, written-style verb meaning 'look after / care for' people, animals, or things over a stretch of time. More formal and sustained than 照顾, and different from 看到 (zhào dào), which means 'to see'.

verb

to look afterto take care of

Examples

照看。
Tā zài jiā zhào kàn hái zi.
She looks after the children at home.
照看。
Qǐng nǐ zhào kàn yí xià wǒ de xíng li.
Please watch my luggage for a moment.
照看。
Tā měi tiān zhào kàn huā yuán lǐ de huā.
He takes care of the flowers in the garden every day.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

照 and 看 both carry watching or attending, together forming look after.

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.

灬昭照

Meaning part形符xíngfú

灬Written in full as火huǒfire

Sound part声符shēngfú

昭

昭zhāo照zhào

Same sound today

照 uses 灬, a bottom form of 火 (fire), plus 昭 for the sound.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

手手shǒuhand
目目mùeye

The shape 看 puts 手 (hand) over 目 (eye), showing a hand placed above the eyes to gaze into the distance.

Appears in

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