浏览 (liú lǎn) — to browse, to skim over

Definition

浏览 means to browse or skim, not to read closely — like scanning a website or news feed. Unlike 阅读 (reading for content), 浏览 is quicker and more superficial.

verb
to browseto skim over

Examples

  • 浏览。
    Wǒ měi tiān dōu huì liú lǎn xīn wén.
    I browse the news every day.
  • 浏览？
    Nǐ liú lǎn guò zhè ge wǎng zhàn ma?
    Have you browsed this website?
  • 浏览。
    Tā zhèng zài liú lǎn shāng pǐn mù lù.
    He is browsing the product catalog.

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.

浏liúskim
览lǎnlook over

The parts for skimming and looking over combine to mean browse.

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 瀏; 浏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
劉
劉liú瀏liú
Same sound today

The traditional form 瀏 pairs 氵 (water) with 劉, which gives the sound liú.

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Reading & Writing

Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.