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看望 (kàn wàng) — to visit (someone), to call on

Definition

看望 is to visit a person — especially someone unwell, older, or a family member you haven't seen in a while. It is more personal than 访问 and less formal than 拜访.

verb
to visit (someone)to call on

Examples

  • 看望。
    Wǒ míng tiān qù yī yuàn kàn wàng yí gè péng you.
    I'm going to the hospital tomorrow to visit a friend.
  • ？
    Nǐ zhōu mò yǒu kòng lái kàn wàng wǒ ma?
    Do you have time to come visit me this weekend?
  • 看望。
    Tā měi nián chūn jié dōu huí jiā kàn wàng fù mǔ.
    He goes home every Spring Festival to visit his parents.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

看kànlook
望wànglook toward

Both 看 and 望 involve looking toward someone, together giving 'visit'.

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.

  • 臣臣chéneye
  • 𡈼𡈼𡈼person standing on the ground

望 originally showed 臣 (eye) beside 𡈼 (person standing on the ground): a person standing up and looking off into the distance. Later 月 was added, and the 臣 part became 亡.

Open 望 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 6Friends & Social

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