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看起来 (kàn qǐ lái) — it seems, it looks like (based on appearance or impression)

Definition

A separable verb used to give an impression based on appearance — 'it seems / it looks like'. Often followed by an adjective or a clause describing the impression.

verb
it seemsit looks like (based on appearance or impression)

Examples

  • 看起来。
    kàn qǐ lái Nǐ zuì jìn hěn máng.
    It seems you've been very busy lately.
  • 看起来。
    Zhè dào cài kàn qǐ lái hěn hǎo chī.
    This dish looks very delicious.
  • 看起来，。
    kàn qǐ lái Wài miàn yào xià yǔ le, dài bǎ sǎn ba.
    It looks like it's going to rain outside — take an umbrella.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

看kànlook
起来rise/come
起qǐrise来láicome
补充Verb + complement

The action 'look' is paired with 'rise/come', giving the impression that something seems.

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 →

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
走走zǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì起qǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Open 起 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 來; 来 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 來 shows a wheat plant: a central ear, upward leaves, and downward stem and roots. The simplified 来 is a later shorthand.

Open 来 →

Grammar

Appears in
Senses5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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