Comparing "kanqilai" and "kanlai"

Both 看起来 (kànqǐlái) and 看来 (kànlái) have the meanings, "it looks like" and "to seem," but they have different usages. Whereas 看起来 indicates a reaction to a physical sight, 看来 expresses a user's understanding of a situation.

看起来 Describes a Physical Appearance

看起来 is used to describe physical appearances. In other words, one can use 看起来 to literally describe what something "looks like."

Structure

Subj. + 看起来 ⋯⋯