Chinese word

看书

Pronunciation

Pinyinkàn shū

Meaning

  • verbread

Example

周末我喜欢安静地看书。zhōu mò wǒ xǐ huān ān jìng dì kàn shū

I like to read quietly on weekends.

Illustration for 看书 (read)

More examples

他睡前总是看书。tā shuì qián zǒng shì kàn shū

He always reads before bed.

Core concept

Eyes move across a book's words to take in their meaning.

Common phrases

  • 喜欢看书xǐ huān kàn shū

    enjoy reading

  • 每天看书měi tiān kàn shū

    read daily

  • 睡前看书shuì qián kàn shū

    read before going to bed

Similar words

读书dú shū: Reading books carefully to study, learn, or gain knowledge.
阅读yuè dú: Reading written works carefully to understand their content, often in formal writing.
浏览liú lǎn: Looking quickly through a book or website to find specific information.

Definition in Chinese

用眼睛阅读书本上的文字，并理解或把握其大意。yòng yǎn jīng yuè dú shū běn shàng de wén zì bìng lí jiě huò bǎ wò qí dà yì

Word origin

看 (kàn, "look at") + 书 (shū, "book") forms a phrase in which looking at a book means reading its written content.

Usage tips

  • For everyday plans and hobbies, this phrase is a natural choice when the material is a book; it does not say whether the reading is for study, work, or pleasure.

Word lists with this word