Chinese word

望

Pronunciation

Pinyinwàng

Meaning

  • verbgaze

Example

他站在山顶，望着远方。tā zhàn zài shān dǐng wàng zhe yuǎn fāng

He stands on the mountaintop, gazing into the distance.

Illustration for 望 (gaze)

More examples

她凝望着窗外的海平线。tā níng wàng zhe chuāng wài de hǎi píng xiàn

She gazes intently at the horizon outside the window.

Core concept

A directed look reaches outward, and that outward reach becomes a mental reaching toward a hoped-for result.

Common phrases

  • 凝望níng wàng

    gaze intently

  • 遥望yáo wàng

    gaze into the distance

  • 望向wàng xiàng

    gaze toward

Similar words

看kàn: Looking at a person or thing with the eyes.
注视zhù shì: Giving focused visual attention to a person or thing.
凝视níng shì: Looking steadily at one point without moving the eyes.
眺望tiào wàng: Looking out over a wide distant landscape.

Definition in Chinese

朝向远方用眼睛观看；在感情上表示对某事或将来抱有希望或期盼。cháo xiàng yuǎn fāng yòng yǎn jīng guān kàn zài gǎn qíng shàng biǎo shì duì mǒu shì huò jiāng lái bào yǒu xī wàng huò qī pàn

Word origin

The early meaning of 望 (wàng, "gaze; hope") was looking far away, so its later sense treats a desired future as something held in sight.

Usage tips

  • When this verb is followed by 着 (zhe, "ongoing state"), the particle presents the gaze as continuing, which suits descriptions of a scene rather than a single completed look.

Other meanings

  • hopeverb
  • expectverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word