Difference between revisions of "Comparing "jian" and "kan""

 
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Both 见 (jiàn) and 看 (kàn) are often used in informal and formal settings to mean “to meet” or “to see someone”. As well, both can mean to catch sight of something/someone. When used in these senses, they often can be used interchangeably, although the meaning is slightly different. Additionally, 见 (jiàn) and 看 (kàn) also have distinct individual uses, as 见 (jiàn) can also mean to meet up with someone, while 看 (kàn) can also mean to watch, to read, or to look at.
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Both 见 (jiàn) and 看 (kàn) are often used in informal and formal settings to mean “to meet” or “to see someone”. 见 (jiàn) can also mean to “meet up with” someone, while 看 (kàn) can also mean to watch, to read, or to look at, and even has a special use for visiting the doctor.  
  
<table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
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{{SimilarWordsCol1||jiàn|to meet someone|verb|flexible}}
<tr>
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{{SimilarWordsCol2||kàn|to watch, to read, to look at, to visit|verb|flexible}}
<th style="width:24%"> </th>
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{{SimilarWordsPageInfo|A2|HSK2|ASV4567}}
<th style="width:33%">(jiàn)</th>
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{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
<th style="width:33%">(kàn)</th>
 
</tr>
 
<tr>
 
<th>Meaning</th><td>to meet/meet up, to catch sight of</td><td class="liju">to watch, to read, to look at, to catch sight of, to visit</td>
 
</tr>
 
<tr>
 
<th>Part of Speech</th><td>verb</td><td class="liju">verb</td>
 
</tr>
 
<tr>
 
<th>Formality</th><td>flexible</td><td class="liju">flexible</td>
 
</tr>
 
</table>
 
  
== To say to read, to watch, or look at use 看 (kàn)  ==
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== To say "to read," "to watch," or "to look at" use 看 (kàn)  ==
  
This one is pretty clear, to describe a situation in which someone is reading a book, watching tv, taking in a sporting event or performance on tv or in person, or even enjoying the scenery only 看 (kàn) can be used.
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To describe a situation in which someone is reading a book, watching TV, taking in a sporting event or performance online or in person, or even enjoying the scenery only 看 (kàn) can be used, meaning "to watch" or "to look at."
  
 
=== Common Phrases ===
 
=== Common Phrases ===
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<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
  
* 看 书
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* <em></em> <span class="pinyin"><em> kàn </em> shū</span><span class="trans">to read a book</span>
* 看 电影
+
* <em></em> 电影<span class="pinyin"><em> kàn </em> diànyǐng</span><span class="trans">to watch a movie</span>
* 看 手机
+
* <em></em> 手机<span class="pinyin"><em> kàn </em>shǒujī</span><span class="trans">to look at one's phone</span>
* 看 风景
+
* <em></em> 风景<span class="pinyin"><em> kàn </em>fēngjǐng</span><span class="trans">to enjoy the  scenery</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
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* 我 很 喜欢 <em>看</em> <strong>书</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ hěn xǐhuan <em>kàn</em> <strong>shū</strong>.</span><span class="trans"> I really like to read books.</span>
* 我 很 喜欢 <em>看</em> 书。
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* 昨天 我 去 <em>看</em> <strong>电影</strong> 了。 <span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǒ qù <em>kàn</em> <strong>diànyǐng</strong> le.</span><span class="trans"> Yesterday I went to see a movie.</span>
* 他 不 想 工作,他 想 <em></em> 手机。
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* 他 不 想 工作,他 想 <em>看</em> <strong>手机</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Tā bù xiǎng gōngzuò, tā xiǎng <em>kàn</em> <strong>shǒujī</strong>.</span><span class="trans"> He doesn't want to work. He wants to look at his phone.</span>
* 昨天 我 去 <em>看</em> 电影 了。
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* 我 喜欢 旅游,因为 我 想 <em>看</em> <strong>风景</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ xǐhuan lǚyóu, yīnwèi wǒ xiǎng <em>kàn</em> <strong>fēngjǐng</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I like to travel because I want to see the scenery.</span>
* 我 喜欢 旅游,因为 我 想 <em>看</em> 风景。
 
* 明天 我 没有 时间,我 要 去 <em></em> 我的 家人。
 
* 我 听说 她 最近 不开心,我 <em>看</em> 她。
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== To say to meet up with someone use 见 (jiàn) ==
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== To say "to meet up with" someone use 见 (jiàn) ==
  
=== Common Phrases ===
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=== Set Phrases ===
  
Meeting up with someone is often used in fixed phrases, often resembling the English pattern “see you tomorrow”, “see you soon”, “see you next year”, etc.  
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Meeting up (i.e., getting together, a rendezvous) with someone is often used in fixed phrases, often resembling the English pattern “see you tomorrow”, “see you next time”, etc.  
  
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
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* 明天 <em></em><span class="pinyin">míngtiān <em>jiàn</em></span><span class="trans">See you tomorrow</span>
* 明天 见
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* <em></em>面<span class="pinyin"><em>jiàn</em>miàn</span><span class="trans">to meet</span>
* 好 久 不
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* 好久不<em>见</em><span class="pinyin">hǎo jiǔ bù jiàn<em>jiàn</em></span><span class="trans">Long time no see</span>
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Example Sentences ===
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For more on 见面, see [[Comparing "jian" and "jianmian"]].
  
While 见 (jiàn) is used in fixed phrases (see above) to mean “meet up”, it can also be independently to mean “meet up” in the sense of have an encounter or have interaction with someone.
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=== Common Phrases ===
  
<div class="liju">
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If you want to describe a situation in which you go and see someone in person, you also use (jiàn).
* 我们 下 星期 <em></em>。
 
* 我 和 朋友 明天 晚上 <em>见</em>。
 
* 他 今天 非常 忙 , 没 时间 <em>见</em> 你 了 。
 
* 十 年 没 <em>见</em> 他 , 他 的 变化 很 大 。
 
* 虽然 我们 俩 都 在 成都,但是 我 很 忙,没时间 <em>见</em> 他。
 
* 那个 女孩儿 很 好,<em>见</em> 过 她 的 人 都 很 喜欢 她。
 
  
</div>
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<div class="liju dapei">
  
== To say to catch sight of something/someone both 见 (jiàn) and  看 (kàn) can be used interchangeably and have the same meaning ==
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* <em>见</em> 朋友<span class="pinyin"><em>jiàn</em> péngyou</span><span class="trans"> go see friend </span>
 
 
Think of something like this… you’re in a crowd, you can see your friends, but they can’t see you, or you see someone at the store from afar, but they don’t see you, even something like your friend finally sees you in a big crowd after you have been yelling their name repeatedly… In these situations, it’s fair to use “catch sight of” to describe what’s going on, and in such circumstances both 见 (jiàn) and  看 (kàn) can be used interchangeably and mean the same thing.
 
 
 
=== Pattern ===
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
/看 + 到 + (“something”, often not said) + 了 (most times)
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Example Sentences ===
+
=== Example Sentences ===
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
 
* 我 <em>看</em> 到了。
 
* 小李 <em>见</em> 到了。
 
</div>
 
 
 
=== Pattern ===
 
  
<div class="jiegou">
+
While 见 (jiàn) is used in fixed phrases to mean “meeting up”, it can also be independently to mean “meet up” in the sense of have an encounter or have interaction with someone.
/看 + 不到 + (“something”, often not said)
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
=== Example Sentences ===
 
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
+
* 今天 晚上 我 去 <em>见</em> <strong>朋友</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǎnshang wǒ qù <em>jiàn</em> <strong>péngyou</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Tonight I'm going to see a friend.</span>
* 小李 <em></em> 不到。
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* 我们 <strong>下 星期</strong> <em>见</em>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <strong>xià xīngqī</strong><em> jiàn </em>.</span><span class="trans">We'll see each other next week.</span>
* 我 <em>见</em> 不到。
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* <strong>好 久 不</strong> <em>见</em>,你 最近 好 吗? <span class="pinyin"><strong>Hǎo jiǔ bù</strong> <em>jiàn</em>, nǐ zuìjìn hǎo ma?</span><span class="trans">It's been a long time. How have you been?</span>
 +
* 他 今天 很 忙 , <strong>没 时间</strong><em>见</em> 你 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā jīntiān hěn máng, <strong>méi shíjiān</strong> <em> jiàn </em> nǐ le.</span><span class="trans">He's very busy today and won't have time to see you.</span>
 +
* 今天 不 能 和 你 一起 去 吃饭 了,我 要 去 <em>见</em> <strong>客户</strong>。 <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān bù néng hé nǐ yīqǐ qù chīfàn le, wǒ yào qù<em>jiàn</em> <strong>kèhù</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I can't go to dinner with you today, I have to meet a client.</span>
 +
* 我 没有 <em>见</em> 过 <strong>他</strong>,不 知道 他 是 谁。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ méiyǒu <em> jiàn </em> guo <strong>tā</strong>, bù zhīdào tā shì shéi.</span><span class="trans">I haven't met him, I don't know who he is.</span>
 +
* 那个 女孩儿 很 好,<em>见</em> 过 <strong>她</strong> 的 人 都 很 喜欢 <strong>tā</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Nàge nǚháir hěn hǎo, <em> jiàn </em> guo tā de rén dōu hěn xǐhuan tā.</span><span class="trans">That girl is very nice, everyone who has met her likes her.</span>
 +
* <strong>三 年 不</strong> <em>见</em>, 他 的 变化 很 大 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Sān nián bù</strong> <em> jiàn </em>, tā de biànhuà hěn dà.</span><span class="trans">He has changed a lot in the three years since I saw him.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== Pattern ===
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== To say "to visit the doctor" use 看 (kàn)  ==
  
<div class="jiegou">
+
Although this is a special use of (kàn), it pretty easy to understand. If you have an appointment with the doctor or need to pay a visit to the doctor because of sickness use 看 (kàn).
见/+ 到 + person + 了 (most times)
 
  
</div>
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=== Set Phrases ===
 
 
=== Example Sentences ===
 
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
 
* 昨天在买东西的时候,我们 <em>看</em> 到了校长。
 
* 小刘 <em>见</em> 到你了,你别喊他吧。
 
</div>
 
 
 
=== Pattern ===
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
见/看 + 不到 + person
 
  
 +
<div class="liju dapei">
 +
* <em>看</em> 病<span class="pinyin"><em>kàn</em> bìng</span><span class="trans">to go see a doctor</span>
 +
* <em>看</em> 医生<span class="pinyin"><em>kàn</em> yīshēng</span><span class="trans">to go see a doctor</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 老王 <em>看</em> 不到我们。
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* 他 身体 有点 不舒服,他 明天 去 <em>看</em> <strong>病</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā shēntǐ yǒudiǎn bù shūfu, tā míngtiān qù <em>kàn</em> <strong> bìng </strong>.</span><span class="trans">He's not feeling well and he's going to the doctor tomorrow.</span>
* 你在用大声喊他的名字,他为什么 <em></em> 不到你?
+
* 我 昨天 去 <em></em> <strong>医生</strong> 了。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ zuótiān qù <em>kàn</em> <strong> yīshēng </strong> le.</span><span class="trans">I went to see the doctor yesterday.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 看见 (kànjiàn) is a combination of 见 (jiàn) and 看 (kàn) and is also used to say to catch sight of something/someone ==
+
== To say "to visit" someone (socially) use 看 (kàn)  ==
 
 
Ok, now we know that both 见 (jiàn) and 看 (kàn) can be used interchangeably to mean “to catch sight of”, notably these two words can be combined into one word, 看见 kànjiàn, that has the same meaning.
 
 
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
== To say to visit someone use 看 (kàn)  ==
 
  
 
If you want to describe a situation in which you visit someone, as in going on a vacation to see relatives or visiting someone in their home to catch up, etc. use 看 (kàn). These imply the purpose of the visit includes inquiries into someone else’s health and well-being.   
 
If you want to describe a situation in which you visit someone, as in going on a vacation to see relatives or visiting someone in their home to catch up, etc. use 看 (kàn). These imply the purpose of the visit includes inquiries into someone else’s health and well-being.   
  
Look above (specifically 见 (jiàn) used in the sense of “to go and meet someone”) and you can see that here 看 (kàn) and 见 (jiàn)’s use and example sentences are all very similar; just remember, using 看 (kàn) emphasizes to visit and includes a taking into consideration someone else’s health and well-being, and that in this context 看 (kàn) is not as commonly used as 见 (jiàn).
+
Look above (specifically 见 (jiàn) used in the sense of “to meet someone”) and you can see that here 看 (kàn) and 见 (jiàn)’s use and example sentences are all very similar; just remember, using 看 (kàn) emphasizes a visit and includes a taking into consideration someone else’s health and well-being, and that in this context 看 (kàn) is not as commonly used as 见 (jiàn).
  
 
=== Common Phrases ===
 
=== Common Phrases ===
  
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
<div class="liju dapei">
* <em>看</em> 家人
 
* <em>看</em> 朋友
 
* <em>看</em> 老师
 
* 去 <em>看</em> 你 <span class="pinyin">qù <em> kàn </em> nǐ</span><span class="trans"> go visit you </span>
 
  
=== Example Sentences ===
+
* 去 看 你 <span class="pinyin">qù kàn nǐ</span><span class="trans">to go visit you</span>
 
+
* 看 家人<span class="pinyin">kàn jiārén</span><span class="trans">to visit family</span>  
<div class="liju">
 
* 我们要利用暑假去 <em>看</em> 家人。
 
* 我们今天去南京 <em></em> 朋友。
 
* 我去 <em></em> 你。
 
* 张老师来我们家 <em></em> 我们。
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 +
=== Example Sentences ===
  
== To say to visit the doctor use 看 (kàn)  ==
+
<div class="liju">
  
If you have an appointment with the doctor or to need to pay a visit to the doctor because of sickness or an ailment use (kàn)
+
* 我 暑假 <strong>去</strong> <em>看</em> 家人。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ shǔjià <strong> qù </strong> <em> kàn </em> jiārén.</span><span class="trans">I'm going to see my family in the summer.</span>
 +
* 我们 今天 <strong>去</strong> 南京 <em>看</em> 朋友。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen jīntiān <strong> qù </strong> Nánjīng <em> kàn </em> péngyou.</span><span class="trans">tWe are going to Nanjing today to see our friends.</span>
 +
* 明天 我 <strong>去</strong> <em>看</em> 你。 <span class="pinyin">Míngtiān wǒ <strong> qù </strong> <em> kàn </em> nǐ.</span><span class="trans">Tomorrow I will go to see you.</span>
 +
* 我 听说 她 最近 不开心,我 想 <strong>去</strong> <em>看</em> 她。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ tīngshuō tā zuìjìn bù kāixīn, wǒ xiǎng <strong> qù </strong> <em> kàn </em> tā.</span><span class="trans">I heard that she is not happy lately and I want to go to see her.</span>
 +
* 张老师 <strong>没有</strong> <strong>来</strong> 我们 家 <em></em> 我们。 <span class="pinyin">Zhāng lǎoshī <strong> méiyǒu </strong> <strong> lái </strong> wǒmen jiā <em> kàn </em> wǒmen.</span><span class="trans">Teacher Zhang didn't come to see us at home.</span>
  
=== Common Phrases ===
+
</div>
  
<div class="liju dapei">
+
== 看见 (kànjiàn) means "to see" ==
* <em>看</em> 病
 
* <em>看</em> 医生
 
  
=== Example Sentences ===
+
In the word 看见 (kànjiàn), 看 (kàn) means "to look at," but is combined with the result complement 见 (jiàn), which is not the same as the verb 见, detailed above. 看见 (kànjiàn) means "to see." It is equivalent to the word 看到 (kàndào).
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 他爸爸身体有点不舒服,最好要去 <em></em> 病。
+
* <em>看见</em> 了 一 只 猫。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em> kànjiàn </em> le yī zhǐ māo.</span><span class="trans">I saw a cat.</span>
 
+
* 不 好意思,我 <strong>没有</strong> <em>看见</em> 你。 <span class="pinyin">Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ <strong> méiyǒu </strong> <em> kànjiàn </em> nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I'm sorry, I didn't see you.</span>
 +
* 昨天 我 在 超市 <em>看见</em> 了 他,但是 他 <strong>没有</strong> <em>看见</em> 我 。 <span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǒ zài chāoshì <em> kànjiàn </em> le tā, dànshì tā <strong> méiyǒu </strong> <em> kànjiàn </em> wǒ.</span><span class="trans">I saw him at the supermarket yesterday, but he didn't see me.</span>
 +
* 你 能 <em>看见</em> 我 吗? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng <em> kànjiàn </em> wǒ ma?</span><span class="trans">Can you see me?</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 +
For more uses of 看见 (kànjiàn) and 看到 (kàndào), be sure to check out [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Result_complements_%22-dao%22_and_%22-jian%22 their article on the Chinese Grammar Wiki].
  
 +
== Sources and further reading ==
  
 +
=== AllSet Learning Wikis ===
  
 +
* [https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Result_complements_%22-dao%22_and_%22-jian%22 Result complements "-dao" and "-jian"] (Chinese Grammar Wiki)
  
== To say to meet someone use 见 (jiàn) ==
+
=== Websites ===
 
 
If you want to describe a situation in which you go and meet someone use 见 (jiàn).
 
 
 
=== Common Phrases ===
 
 
 
By glancing below at the bottom, specifically the use of 看 (kàn) in the sense to me “to visit”, you can see that here in this sense 见 (jiàn) and 看 (kàn)’s use is similar. Keep in mind that using 见 (jiàn) emphasizes to meet or to see someone else, and that in this context 见 (jiàn) is used more often than 看 (kàn).
 
 
 
<div class="liju dapei">
 
* <em>见</em> 家人
 
* <em>见</em> 朋友
 
* <em>见</em> 老师
 
* 去 <em>见</em> 你 <span class="pinyin">qù <em> kàn </em> nǐ</span><span class="trans"> go meet with you </span>
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
=== Example Sentences ===
 
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
* 今天 晚上 我 会 去 <em>见</em> 朋友 。
 
* 你要不要和我一起去见我的家人?
 
* 我还没有准备好,我不想去见你的父母。
 
 
 
</div>
 

Latest revision as of 08:44, 19 April 2022

Both 见 (jiàn) and 看 (kàn) are often used in informal and formal settings to mean “to meet” or “to see someone”. 见 (jiàn) can also mean to “meet up with” someone, while 看 (kàn) can also mean to watch, to read, or to look at, and even has a special use for visiting the doctor.











A2HSK2ASV4567
见 (jiàn) 看 (kàn)
Meaning to meet someone to watch, to read, to look at, to visit
Part of Speech verb verb
Formality flexible flexible

To say "to read," "to watch," or "to look at" use 看 (kàn)

To describe a situation in which someone is reading a book, watching TV, taking in a sporting event or performance online or in person, or even enjoying the scenery only 看 (kàn) can be used, meaning "to watch" or "to look at."

Common Phrases

  • kàn shūto read a book
  • 电影 kàn diànyǐngto watch a movie
  • 手机 kàn shǒujīto look at one's phone
  • 风景 kàn fēngjǐngto enjoy the scenery

Example Sentences

  • 我 很 喜欢 Wǒ hěn xǐhuan kàn shū. I really like to read books.
  • 昨天 我 去 电影 了。 Zuótiān wǒ qù kàn diànyǐng le. Yesterday I went to see a movie.
  • 他 不 想 工作,他 想 手机Tā bù xiǎng gōngzuò, tā xiǎng kàn shǒujī. He doesn't want to work. He wants to look at his phone.
  • 我 喜欢 旅游,因为 我 想 风景Wǒ xǐhuan lǚyóu, yīnwèi wǒ xiǎng kàn fēngjǐng.I like to travel because I want to see the scenery.

To say "to meet up with" someone use 见 (jiàn)

Set Phrases

Meeting up (i.e., getting together, a rendezvous) with someone is often used in fixed phrases, often resembling the English pattern “see you tomorrow”, “see you next time”, etc.

  • 明天 míngtiān jiànSee you tomorrow
  • jiànmiànto meet
  • 好久不hǎo jiǔ bù jiànjiànLong time no see

For more on 见面, see Comparing "jian" and "jianmian".

Common Phrases

If you want to describe a situation in which you go and see someone in person, you also use 见 (jiàn).

  • 朋友jiàn péngyou go see friend

Example Sentences

While 见 (jiàn) is used in fixed phrases to mean “meeting up”, it can also be independently to mean “meet up” in the sense of have an encounter or have interaction with someone.

  • 今天 晚上 我 去 朋友Jīntiān wǎnshang wǒ qù jiàn péngyou.Tonight I'm going to see a friend.
  • 我们 下 星期 Wǒmen xià xīngqī jiàn .We'll see each other next week.
  • 好 久 不 ,你 最近 好 吗? Hǎo jiǔ bù jiàn, nǐ zuìjìn hǎo ma?It's been a long time. How have you been?
  • 他 今天 很 忙 , 没 时间 你 了 。 Tā jīntiān hěn máng, méi shíjiān jiàn nǐ le.He's very busy today and won't have time to see you.
  • 今天 不 能 和 你 一起 去 吃饭 了,我 要 去 客户Jīntiān bù néng hé nǐ yīqǐ qù chīfàn le, wǒ yào qùjiàn kèhù.I can't go to dinner with you today, I have to meet a client.
  • 我 没有 ,不 知道 他 是 谁。Wǒ méiyǒu jiàn guo , bù zhīdào tā shì shéi.I haven't met him, I don't know who he is.
  • 那个 女孩儿 很 好, 的 人 都 很 喜欢 Nàge nǚháir hěn hǎo, jiàn guo tā de rén dōu hěn xǐhuan tā.That girl is very nice, everyone who has met her likes her.
  • 三 年 不 , 他 的 变化 很 大 。Sān nián bù jiàn , tā de biànhuà hěn dà.He has changed a lot in the three years since I saw him.

To say "to visit the doctor" use 看 (kàn)

Although this is a special use of 看 (kàn), it pretty easy to understand. If you have an appointment with the doctor or need to pay a visit to the doctor because of sickness use 看 (kàn).

Set Phrases

  • kàn bìngto go see a doctor
  • 医生kàn yīshēngto go see a doctor

Example Sentences

  • 他 身体 有点 不舒服,他 明天 去 Tā shēntǐ yǒudiǎn bù shūfu, tā míngtiān qù kàn bìng .He's not feeling well and he's going to the doctor tomorrow.
  • 我 昨天 去 医生 了。 Wǒ zuótiān qù kàn yīshēng le.I went to see the doctor yesterday.

To say "to visit" someone (socially) use 看 (kàn)

If you want to describe a situation in which you visit someone, as in going on a vacation to see relatives or visiting someone in their home to catch up, etc. use 看 (kàn). These imply the purpose of the visit includes inquiries into someone else’s health and well-being.

Look above (specifically 见 (jiàn) used in the sense of “to meet someone”) and you can see that here 看 (kàn) and 见 (jiàn)’s use and example sentences are all very similar; just remember, using 看 (kàn) emphasizes a visit and includes a taking into consideration someone else’s health and well-being, and that in this context 看 (kàn) is not as commonly used as 见 (jiàn).

Common Phrases

  • 去 看 你 qù kàn nǐto go visit you
  • 看 家人kàn jiārénto visit family

Example Sentences

  • 我 暑假 家人。 Wǒ shǔjià kàn jiārén.I'm going to see my family in the summer.
  • 我们 今天 南京 朋友。 Wǒmen jīntiān Nánjīng kàn péngyou.tWe are going to Nanjing today to see our friends.
  • 明天 我 你。 Míngtiān wǒ kàn nǐ.Tomorrow I will go to see you.
  • 我 听说 她 最近 不开心,我 想 她。 Wǒ tīngshuō tā zuìjìn bù kāixīn, wǒ xiǎng kàn tā.I heard that she is not happy lately and I want to go to see her.
  • 张老师 没有 我们 家 我们。 Zhāng lǎoshī méiyǒu lái wǒmen jiā kàn wǒmen.Teacher Zhang didn't come to see us at home.

看见 (kànjiàn) means "to see"

In the word 看见 (kànjiàn), 看 (kàn) means "to look at," but is combined with the result complement 见 (jiàn), which is not the same as the verb 见, detailed above. 看见 (kànjiàn) means "to see." It is equivalent to the word 看到 (kàndào).

  • 看见 了 一 只 猫。 kànjiàn le yī zhǐ māo.I saw a cat.
  • 不 好意思,我 没有 看见 你。 Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ méiyǒu kànjiàn nǐ.I'm sorry, I didn't see you.
  • 昨天 我 在 超市 看见 了 他,但是 他 没有 看见 我 。 Zuótiān wǒ zài chāoshì kànjiàn le tā, dànshì tā méiyǒu kànjiàn wǒ.I saw him at the supermarket yesterday, but he didn't see me.
  • 你 能 看见 我 吗? Nǐ néng kànjiàn wǒ ma?Can you see me?

For more uses of 看见 (kànjiàn) and 看到 (kàndào), be sure to check out their article on the Chinese Grammar Wiki.

Sources and further reading

AllSet Learning Wikis

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