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观 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
观guànto look atHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guànto watchHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guànto observeHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guànto beholdHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guànto adviseHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guànconceptHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guànpoint of viewHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guànTaoist monasteryHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guànpalace gate watchtowerHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guànplatformHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guànto observe, to spectate; appearance, viewHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guànoutlookHSK 3, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guànsurname GuanHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānto look atHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānto watchHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānto observeHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānto beholdHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānto adviseHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānconceptHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānpoint of viewHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānTaoist monasteryHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānpalace gate watchtowerHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānplatformHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānto observe, to spectate; appearance, viewHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānoutlookHSK 3, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
观guānsurname GuanHSK 3, vg, 6 strokes, radical 见, rank #8097, Medium
guān(guan1)guan
primary
T1
  1. 1to look at
  2. 2to watch
Also a Chinese surname, Guan — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

观(觀)guān(guan1)

The character 观 (guān) primarily means 'to observe' or 'to watch.' It is commonly used in contexts related to perspectives, viewpoints, and the act of looking at something attentively. Additionally, it can refer to a Taoist monastery or a platform for viewing, highlighting its significance in cultural practices.

Strokes6Radical见Frequency#8097DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

观 is deeply embedded in Chinese culture, particularly in Taoism, where it relates to the concept of observing nature and oneself. This reflects the traditional Chinese philosophy of harmony between humans and the natural world.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large 'Guan' watchtower (观) overlooking a scenic view. The character looks like a pair of eyes (the top part) observing the world below (the bottom part), helping you remember its meaning of watching or observing something carefully.

Meanings of 观

guān(guan1)
primary
1to look at
2to watch
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 观 means.

About 观

观Simplified
觀Traditional
6Strokes
见Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#8097Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3

Podcast: 观

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Podcast: 观

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AI Study Notes for 观

Quick Contrast

观察 (guānchá) vs 观 (guān): use 观察 when emphasizing the act of careful examination or investigation, while 观 focuses more on the general act of observing or viewing.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone; 观 is pronounced with a high-level tone (guān). It is often used in formal contexts, such as in discussions about philosophy or art. Common collocations include 观察 (to observe) and 观点 (point of view).

HSK Study Tips

While 观 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it relates to words in HSK Level 4 and above, such as 观察 (guānchá - to observe) and 观点 (guāndiǎn - viewpoint). Focus on incorporating it into sentences that express observation or perspective.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 观 with related words like 见 (jiàn - to see) or 看 (kàn - to look). For example, saying '我观这本书' instead of '我看这本书' (I watch this book) is incorrect; use '看' for looking or watching something.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 观

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Etymology of 观

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 觀. Phonosemantic compound. 見 represents the meaning and 雚 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

To see 见 again 又

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 观?

Decomposition of 观

IDS Structure⿰又见
观Full Character
=
又you4
left
见jian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 观?

How to say to look at in Chinese

“to look at” in Chinese is观guàn

The character 观 (guān) primarily means 'to observe' or 'to watch.' It is commonly used in contexts related to perspectives, viewpoints, and the act of looking at something attentively. Additionally, it can refer to a Taoist monastery or a platform for viewing, highlighting its significance in cultural practices.

When to use 观

Be cautious with the tone; 观 is pronounced with a high-level tone (guān). It is often used in formal contexts, such as in discussions about philosophy or art. Common collocations include 观察 (to observe) and 观点 (point of view).

观 or something close to it

观察 (guānchá) vs 观 (guān): use 观察 when emphasizing the act of careful examination or investigation, while 观 focuses more on the general act of observing or viewing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 观 with related words like 见 (jiàn - to see) or 看 (kàn - to look). For example, saying '我观这本书' instead of '我看这本书' (I watch this book) is incorrect; use '看' for looking or watching something.

Write 观

观

Practice writing 观 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 观

观 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 13 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

是…的 emphasis是 + [V] + 的
HSK 3

...

这部电影是我看的。

Zhè bù diànyǐng shì wǒ kàn de.

This movie is the one I watched.

Exercise 1 of 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

____看演出的观众请从右边的门进去。

Audience members watching the performance, please enter through the door on the right.

Example Sentences for 观 (14)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
vgto look at4
1
我们去公园观鸟吧。

Wǒmen qù gōngyuán guān niǎo ba.

Let's go bird watching in the park.
2
她喜欢在博物馆里观艺术品。

Tā xǐhuān zài bówùguǎn lǐ guān yìshùpǐn.

She likes to look at art pieces in the museum.
3
晚上,我们可以在山顶观星星。

Wǎnshang, wǒmen kěyǐ zài shāndǐng guān xīngxing.

At night, we can look at the stars from the top of the mountain.
4
老师带我们去动物园观猴子。

Lǎoshī dài wǒmen qù dòngwùyuán guān hóuzi.

The teacher took us to the zoo to look at the monkeys.
vgsurname Guan10
5
我将到巴黎交流参观。

wǒ jiāng dào bā lí jiāo liú cān guān。

I'm going to go on an exchange visit to Paris.
6
面对遭征服的悲惨命运,他们保持了乐观的态度。

miàn duì zāo zhēng fú de bēi cǎn mìng yùn, , tā mén bǎo chí le lè guān de tài。

They have maintained their optimism in the face of desolating subjugation.
7
你需要尽你所能,最大限度地去努力。只要你这么做,只要你能保持乐观,你就会看见乌云背后的幸福线。

nǐ xū yào jìn nǐ suǒ néng, , zuì dà xiàn dù dì qù nǔ。 lì 。 zhī yào nǐ zhè, mó zuò , zhī yào nǐ néng bǎo, chí lè guān , nǐ jiù huì kàn jiàn wū yún bèi hòu。

You have to do everything you can. You have to work your hardest. And if you do, if you stay positive, then you have a shot at a silver lining.
8
你也应该让本地议员了解你的观点。

nǐ yě yīng gāi ràng běn dì yì yuán le jiě nǐ de guān diǎn。

You should also make your views known to your local MP.
9
你可以近距离观察飞机的起降。

nǐ kě yǐ jìn jù lí guān chá fēi jī de qǐ jiàng。

You can watch aircraft take off or land at close quarters.
10
我明白你的观点,但恐怕我不能苟同。

wǒ míng bái nǐ de guān diǎn, , dàn kǒng pà wǒ bù néng gǒu。

I see your point but I'm not sure I agree with you.
11
现在看来似乎悲观论者是正确的。

xiàn zài kàn lái sì hū bēi guān lùn zhě shì zhèng què de。

It looks as if the pessimists are being proved right.
12
庞大的海鸟群是最壮观的景象之一。

páng dà de hǎi niǎo qún shì zuì zhuàng guān de jǐng xiàng zhī yī。

Among the most spectacular sights are the great sea-bird colonies.
13
我自己的观点非常清楚。我做的事是正确的。

wǒ zì jǐ de guān diǎn fēi cháng qīng chǔ。 。 wǒ zuò de shì shì zhèng què。

My own view is absolutely clear. What I did was right.
14
它用讽刺的语言呈现了天主教作家郑重其事表明的观点。

tā yòng fěng cì de yǔ yán chéng xiàn le tiān zhǔ jiào zuò jiā zhèng zhòng qí shì biǎo míng de guān diǎn。

It presented in satirical terms points made in earnest by Catholic writers.
Exercise 1 of 1

Rebuild it

Rebuild it: “Let's go bird watching in the park.”

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Cultural Notes for 观

💡Did you know?

'观' is often used in phrases like '观念' (concept) and '观看' (to watch), reflecting the importance of observation and perspective in Chinese culture.

Word Family of 观

Words Containing This Character20
观众guānzhòngspectators觀眾
观察guāncháto observe觀察
观点guāndiǎnpoint of view觀點
观guānto look at觀
观看guānkànto watch觀看
观念guānniànnotion觀念
参观cānguānto tour參觀
乐观lèguānoptimistic樂觀
客观kèguānobjective客觀
景观jǐngguānlandscape景觀
外观wàiguānexterior appearance外觀
宏观hóngguānmacro-宏觀
围观to stand in a circle and watch圍觀
宏观调控macro-control宏觀調控
价值观jiàzhíguānsystem of values價值觀
壮观zhuàngguānspectacular壯觀
主观zhǔguānsubjective主觀
观光guānguāngto tour觀光
观赏guānshǎngornamental觀賞
袖手旁观xiùshǒupángguānto watch with folded arms (idiom); to look on without lifting a finger袖手旁觀
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 观

What does 观众 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 观

Yes, 观 (guān) is a common character in the Chinese language and is often used in various expressions related to viewing and observing. It appears in words like '观看' (guānkàn), meaning 'to watch' or 'to view'. Learning this character can enhance your understanding of related vocabulary.

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