观看

• Pinyin: guān kàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 观 = 又 (hand) + 见 (see) — to view; 看 = 手 (hand over eyes) + 目 (eye) — to look

Meaning

To watch; to view. To look at a performance, event, or programme as a spectator.

A slightly more formal word for watching, often used for performances, sports events, exhibitions, or online content. More deliberate and purposeful than 看. Common phrases: 观看比赛 (watch a match), 观看演出 (watch a performance), 在线观看 (watch online).

Examples

1. 今天晚上我们一起去观看足球比赛。 Let's go watch the football match together tonight.
2. 这部电影值得观看。 This film is worth watching.
3. 很多人在网上观看了这个视频。 Many people watched this video online.

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, sports, media

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 欢迎观看今天的节目。(Welcome to watch today's programme.)
• 我们全家一起观看了春节晚会。(Our whole family watched the Spring Festival Gala together.)

Don't Say

• 我观看了一下你的脸。(Don't use 观看 for looking at a person — it's for events and media. Say 我看了一下你的脸.)

Origin & History

Compound of 观 (to view) and 看 (to see/look). The pairing reinforces the meaning of watching attentively as a spectator.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal