Chinese word

偷看

Pronunciation

Pinyintōu kàn

Meaning

  • verbpeek at

Example

孩子们在课堂上偷看手机。hái zi men zài kè táng shàng tōu kàn shǒu jī

The children are peeking at their phones in class.

Illustration for 偷看 (peek at)

More examples

老师走后，学生们趁机偷看窗外。lǎo shī zǒu hòu xué shēng men chèn jī tōu kàn chuāng wài

After the teacher left, the students took the opportunity to peek out the window.

Core concept

A concealed look that quietly takes in a person, object, or action without announcing itself.

Common phrases

  • 偷看手机tōu kàn shǒu jī

    peek at a phone

  • 偷看答案tōu kàn dá àn

    peek at the answers

  • 偷看窗外tōu kàn chuāng wài

    peek out the window

Similar words

偷瞄tōu miáo: To sneak a short glance at something.
偷窥tōu kuī: To observe someone or something secretly by peering at it.
瞥见piē jiàn: To glimpse something as it briefly enters the field of vision.

Definition in Chinese

悄悄地在别人不注意时看东西或看别人的动作。qiāo qiāo dì zài bié rén bú zhù yì shí kàn dōng xī huò kàn bié rén de dòng zuò

Word origin

偷 (tōu, "steal") + 看 (kàn, "look") combines the image of taking something secretly with the act of looking, producing the sense of looking without being noticed.

Usage tips

  • As a transitive verb, it commonly places the watched person or thing directly after the verb, making short sentences about screens, notes, or nearby activity sound natural.

Other meanings

  • spy onverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word