观览 (guān lǎn) — to view, observe, or inspect (formal)

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'to view, observe, or inspect', used for looking over exhibitions, scenery, or documents. Reads as more written than everyday 看 or 浏览, which are the neutral spoken alternatives.

verb
to viewobserveor inspect (formal)

Examples

  • 观览。
    Yóu kè kě yǐ miǎn fèi guān lǎn bó wù guǎn de zhǎn lǎn.
    Visitors can view the museum's exhibition for free.
  • 观览。
    Tā zǐ xì guān lǎn le zhè fèn bào gào de nèi róng.
    He carefully inspected the contents of this report.
  • 观览。
    Zhàn zài shān dǐng kě yǐ guān lǎn zhěng gè chéng shì de měi jǐng.
    Standing on the mountaintop, you can enjoy the beautiful view of the entire city.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

观guānobserve
览lǎnview

观 and 览 both mean looking or viewing; together they form a formal word for observe.

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 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 →

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 覽; 览 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
監
監jiān覽lǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 覽 uses 見, meaning see, for the sense and 監 for the sound; the simplified 览 is a later shorthand.

Open 览 →

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