Chinese word

打量

Pronunciation

Pinyindǎ liàng

Meaning

  • verblook over

Example

顾客在柜台前打量那个包。gù kè zài guì tái qián dǎ liàng nà ge bāo

The customer looks over that bag at the counter.

Illustration for 打量 (look over)

More examples

服务员朝新来的顾客打量了一眼，准备上前问候。fú wù yuán cháo xīn lái de gù kè dǎ liàng le yì yǎn zhǔn bèi shàng qián wèn hòu

The server looked the new customer up and down once and was about to greet him.

Core concept

Looking carefully at something while forming an opinion about its size, value, or character.

Common phrases

  • 朝他打量cháo tā dǎ liàng

    look him up and down

  • 暗自打量àn zì dǎ liàng

    secretly assess

Similar words

估计gū jì: Estimating an approximate number or result from a situation or available information.
端详duān xiáng: Looking closely and carefully at a face or appearance to notice its details.
估价gū jià: Estimating the approximate price or value of an object or piece of work.
审视shěn shì: Examining something carefully and thoughtfully, including its fine details.

Definition in Chinese

通过观察来估量人或物，常带有主观评判的色彩，既可指大小也可指价值或气质。tōng guò guān chá lái gū liáng rén huò wù cháng dài yǒu zhǔ guān píng pàn de sè cǎi jì kě zhǐ dà xiǎo yě kě zhǐ jià zhí huò qì zhì

Word origin

The compound 打量 (dǎliàng, "to look over") combines 打 (dǎ, "to do") with 量 (liàng, "measure"), treating observation as a measuring action.

Usage tips

  • Describing a stranger with this verb can sound intrusive because it presents the person as someone being assessed.

Other meanings

  • look someone up and downverb

Opposites

  • 无视wú shìignoreverb

Word lists with this word