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纵观 (zòng guān) — to take a comprehensive view of; to survey broadly

Definition

纵观 means to survey or take a comprehensive view of something over a span (history, trends, a field). Unlike 俯视 (literally look down from a height), it is metaphorical — a wide-angle overview, not a physical viewpoint.

verb
to take a comprehensive view ofto survey broadly

Examples

  • 纵观，。
    zòng guān Shì jiè, jīng jì quán qiú huà shì bù kě nì zhuǎn de qū shì.
    Taking a comprehensive view of the world, economic globalization is an irreversible trend.
  • 纵观，。
    zòng guān Zhōng guó lì shǐ, měi gè cháo dài dōu yǒu qí dú tè de wén huà chéng jiù.
    Surveying Chinese history broadly, each dynasty has its unique cultural achievements.
  • 纵观，。
    zòng guān Zhěng gè xiàng mù, wǒ men xū yào chóng xīn píng gū fēng xiǎn.
    Looking at the entire project comprehensively, we need to reassess the risks.

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.

纵zòngfreely
观guānlook

纵 contributes 'freely, without restraint,' and 观 contributes 'look,' together suggesting an unrestricted survey.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 縱; 纵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
從
從cóng縱zòng
Same sound today

The traditional form 縱 pairs the 糸 part with 從 as a sound part; the simplified 纵 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.

Open 纵 →

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 7-9Thinking & Cognition

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