看见

kànjiàn

to see

HSK 1

Character Breakdown

Basic Meaning

"看见" means "to see" or "to catch sight of" something with your eyes. It emphasizes the actual perception or noticing of something visually.

Usage Notes

"看见" is often used when you want to express that you have noticed or observed something specific, often unexpectedly or briefly. It differs from "" which can be more neutral or general for "seeing."

Common Collocations

These collocations show how "看见" is used to describe visual perception of people, objects, or signals.

Register and Tone

"看见" is neutral and common in everyday spoken and written Chinese. It is appropriate in casual and formal contexts.

Common Confusion

Learners sometimes confuse "看见" with "." While both mean "to see," "看见" often implies the act of noticing or catching sight of something, sometimes unexpectedly, whereas "" can be more general or continuous.

Example Sentences

我在街上看见了一个老朋友。

Wǒ zài jiē shàng kàn jiàn le yí gè lǎo péng yǒu.

I saw an old friend on the street.

你看见我的手机了吗?

Nǐ kàn jiàn wǒ de shǒu jī le ma?

Did you see my phone?

他没看见路上的红灯,结果出了事故。

Tā méi kàn jiàn lù shàng de hóng dēng, jié guǒ chū le shì gù.

He didn’t see the red light on the road and ended up having an accident.