Difference between revisions of "Comparing "kanqilai" and "kanlai""

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== 看来 Assesses a Situation ==
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== 看来 When Assessing a Situation ==
  
看来 is used by a speaker to indicate his/her understanding of a situation. Note that 看来 is used in a manner, such that the speaker isn't necessarily indicating the physical appearance of anything. Rather, 看来 employs more of an abstract reading for how a situation "seems like."
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看来 can be used by a speaker to indicate his/her understanding of a situation. Note that 看来 is used in a manner, such that the speaker isn't necessarily indicating the physical appearance of anything. Rather, 看来 employs more of an abstract reading for how a situation "seems like."
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===

Revision as of 08:52, 30 October 2018

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 ⋯⋯

Examples

  • 蛋糕 看起来 很 好吃 。Dàngāo kànqǐlái hěn hǎochī.This cake looks really tasty.
  • 这 家 餐厅 看起来 不错。Zhè jiā cāntīng kànqǐlái bùcuò.This restaurant looks good.
  • 你 男朋友 看起来 很 成熟 。Nǐ nánpéngyou kànqǐlái hěn chéngshú.Your boyfriend seems very mature.
  • 老板 看起来 有点 不 高兴 。Lǎobǎn kànqǐlái yǒudiǎn bù gāoxìng.The boss seems a little unhappy.
  • 你们 看起来 差不多 高 。Nǐmen kànqǐlái chàbuduō gāo.You two seem to be the same height.

看来 When Assessing a Situation

看来 can be used by a speaker to indicate his/her understanding of a situation. Note that 看来 is used in a manner, such that the speaker isn't necessarily indicating the physical appearance of anything. Rather, 看来 employs more of an abstract reading for how a situation "seems like."

Structure

看来 + Perspective

Examples

  • 看来他不来了,都这么晚了。It seems he's not coming. It's already so late.
  • 看来你玩得不高兴,怎么这么早就回来了?I guess you didn't have a good time. Is that why you came back so early?
  • 现在看来,事情没那么糟。Now it looks like things aren't that bad.