見渡す

• Reading: みわたす
• Romaji: miwatasu
• Kanji breakdown: 見 (mi/ken) — to look, see; 渡 (wata/to) — to cross, pass over
• Pronunciation: /mi.ɰa.ta.sɯ/

Meaning

To look out over; to survey a scene; to take in a wide view. Implies scanning a broad area with one's eyes.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb. Compound of 見 (to look) and 渡す (to pass across). Conveys looking across an entire area or landscape. Often used with scenic views, but also figuratively to mean surveying a situation or assessing the full picture.

Examples

1. 展望台から街を見渡すと、遠くに海が見えた。 When I looked out over the city from the observation deck, I could see the ocean in the distance.
2. 教室を見渡したが、彼女の姿はなかった。 I scanned the classroom, but she was nowhere to be found.
3. 見渡す限り一面の雪景色だった。 As far as the eye could see, it was a blanket of snow.

Usage Guide

Context: scenery, observation, assessment

Tone: descriptive

Origin & History

Compound of 見 (to look) and 渡す (to pass/send across). The combined meaning is to pass one's gaze across an expanse.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal