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看得出 (kàn de chū) — can see/discern; can tell (from observation)

Definition

Means 'can tell / can see from the evidence' — inferring something by looking carefully. Note the 出 after 看: it marks the direction of perception outward, so 看得出 pairs with 看得出来 as the affirmative form.

verb
can see/discerncan tell (from observation)

Examples

  • 看得出。
    Cóng tā de biǎo qíng kàn de chū tā hěn bù kāi xīn.
    From her expression, you can tell she's very unhappy.
  • 看得出？
    Nǐ kàn de chū zhè fú huà shì nǎ ge shí qī de ma?
    Can you tell which period this painting is from?
  • 看得出。
    Wǒ kàn de chū tā bú tài zàn chéng zhè ge fāng àn.
    I can tell he doesn't really approve of this plan.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

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

Open 看 →

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

The old form 㝵 showed a hand picking up a cowry, meaning to obtain; later changes turned that picture into 得.

Open 得 →

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

出 combines 止 (foot) and 凵 (cave) to show a foot stepping out of a cave.

Open 出 →
Appears in
SensesThinking & Cognition

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