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March 24, 2026
视(眎)shì(shi4)
The character 视 (shì) means 'to look at', 'to regard', or 'to inspect'. It is commonly used in contexts related to observation, evaluation, or consideration, both in literal and metaphorical senses. This character often appears in phrases related to viewpoints or perspectives.
Strokes8Radical见Frequency#3594DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of perspective is significant, reflected in sayings about the importance of viewing things from multiple angles. 视 is often used in discussions about personal and societal viewpoints.
Memory Tip
Imagine an eye (representing 'look') peering through a window (a metaphor for 'inspect'). The character 视 looks like a person looking out, indicating observation, and the pronunciation 'shì' can be remembered by thinking of 'she' looking through the window.
Meanings of 视
shì(shi4)
1to look at
2to regard
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 视
视Simplified
眎Traditional
8Strokes
见Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#3594Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1
Podcast: 视
Podcast: 视
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AI Study Notes for 视
Quick Contrast
观 (guān) — use 视 (shì) when emphasizing the act of looking or inspecting, while 观 (guān) focuses more on observing or viewing in a broader sense.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone; 视 is pronounced with a falling tone (shì). It's often used in formal contexts, so it’s suitable for written and spoken communication in professional settings. Common collocations include 视力 (vision), 视野 (field of vision), and 观看 (to watch).
HSK Study Tips
Although 视 is not included in the HSK levels, it relates to other HSK words about perception and viewing, such as 看 (kàn) and 见 (jiàn). Focus on its usage in phrases to deepen understanding of observational contexts.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 视 with similar characters like 看 (kàn) or 见 (jiàn) when trying to express 'to see'. For example, saying '我视电影' (wǒ shì diànyǐng) instead of '我看电影' (wǒ kàn diànyǐng) is incorrect; use 看 for watching.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 视
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Simplified form of 視. Phonosemantic compound. 見 represents the meaning and 礻 represents the sound.
1The meaning half见 carries the sense.
2The sound half礻 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaysee
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 视? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 视?
Decomposition of 视
IDS Structure⿰礻见
视Full Character
=
礻shi4
left
见jian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 视?
How to say to look at in Chinese
“to look at” in Chinese is视shì
The character 视 (shì) means 'to look at', 'to regard', or 'to inspect'. It is commonly used in contexts related to observation, evaluation, or consideration, both in literal and metaphorical senses. This character often appears in phrases related to viewpoints or perspectives.
When to use 视
Be cautious with the tone; 视 is pronounced with a falling tone (shì). It's often used in formal contexts, so it’s suitable for written and spoken communication in professional settings. Common collocations include 视力 (vision), 视野 (field of vision), and 观看 (to watch).
视 or something close to it
观 (guān) — use 视 (shì) when emphasizing the act of looking or inspecting, while 观 (guān) focuses more on observing or viewing in a broader sense.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 视 with similar characters like 看 (kàn) or 见 (jiàn) when trying to express 'to see'. For example, saying '我视电影' (wǒ shì diànyǐng) instead of '我看电影' (wǒ kàn diànyǐng) is incorrect; use 看 for watching.
Write 视
视
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Practice writing 视 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 视
视 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 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
