看成

• Pinyin: kàn chéng
• Hanzi breakdown: 看 = 手 (hand) + 目 (eye), depicting shading eyes to see; 成 = 戊 (weapon) + 丁, originally meaning to complete

Meaning

To regard as; to consider as; to see as. To view something or someone in a particular way.

A resultative verb compound meaning to perceive or treat something as a certain way. Often used to describe how people interpret or categorize things, sometimes incorrectly. Similar to 看作 and 当成.

Examples

1. 他们把我看成自己人，对我非常信任。 They regard me as one of their own and trust me completely.
2. 不要把别人的善意看成软弱。 Don't mistake others' kindness for weakness.
3. 她把这次失败看成一次学习的机会。 She sees this failure as a learning opportunity.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, philosophical, analytical

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他把我看成他最好的朋友。(He regards me as his best friend.)
• 你可以把这看成一个挑战。(You can see this as a challenge.)

Don't Say

• 我看成这本书。(Wrong structure — 看成 requires a comparison: 把A看成B)

Origin & History

看 (kàn, look/view) + 成 (chéng, become/into). Together they mean 'to look at and perceive as.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal