望见

• Pinyin: wàng jiàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 望 = 亡 (flee/disappear) + 月 (moon) + 王 (king), originally depicting gazing at the moon; 见 = 目 (eye) + 儿 (legs), representing seeing

Meaning

To see from afar; to catch sight of; to spot in the distance.

A somewhat literary or formal way to describe seeing something, typically at a distance. More common in written Chinese and storytelling than in everyday conversation. Related words: 看见 (see, more common), 瞥见 (glimpse), 遥望 (gaze into distance).

Examples

1. 站在山顶上，可以望见远处的大海。 Standing on the mountaintop, you can see the distant ocean.
2. 他望见了儿时的老房子，心里涌起一阵感慨。 He caught sight of the old house from his childhood and felt a wave of emotion.
3. 透过窗户，她望见丈夫的车缓缓驶入小区。 Through the window, she saw her husband's car slowly driving into the compound.

Usage Guide

Context: literary, descriptive, scenic

Tone: poetic

Do Say

• 从这里可以望见长城。(From here you can see the Great Wall in the distance.)
• 我望见她在人群中。(I caught sight of her in the crowd.)

Don't Say

• 我望见我的手机在桌上 — 近距离的东西用'看见'，不用'望见'

Origin & History

Compound of 望 (to gaze, look toward) + 见 (to see). The character 望 originally depicted a person standing and looking into the distance.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal