Chinese word

看似

Pronunciation

Pinyinkàn sì

Meaning

  • adverbseemingly

Example

看似很简单，但其实很难。kàn sì hěn jiǎn dān dàn qí shí hěn nán

It seems simple, but it is actually very difficult.

Illustration for 看似 (seemingly)

More examples

他看似平静，内心却很不安。tā kàn sì píng jìng nèi xīn què hěn bù ān

He seems calm, but he is actually very uneasy inside.

Core concept

An outward impression that may differ from the fuller truth.

Common phrases

  • 看似简单kàn sì jiǎn dān

    seemingly simple

  • 看似合理kàn sì hé lǐ

    seemingly reasonable

  • 看似平静kàn sì píng jìng

    seemingly calm

Similar words

看起来kàn qǐ lái: Describes the way something looks or feels from an outside impression.
好像hǎo xiàng: Indicates that something seems true from its look or general feel, though it is uncertain.
似乎sì hū: Indicates cautiously and somewhat formally that something appears likely from a judgment.
表面上biǎo miàn shàng: Describes an appearance judged only from the outside surface.

Definition in Chinese

作为副词，用来描述事物在外观或初印象上的样子，常用于引出与之相反或需要矛盾说明的句子zuò wéi fù cí yòng lái miáo shù shì wù zài wài guān huò chū yìn xiàng shàng de yàng zi cháng yòng yú yǐn chū yǔ zhī xiāng fǎn huò xū yào máo dùn shuō míng de jù zi

Word origin

看似 (kànsì, "seemingly") combines 看 (kàn, "look") and 似 (sì, "resemble"), linking what something looks like with the judgment it invites.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this adverb often sets up a contrast with 但 (dàn, "but"), 却 (què, "yet"), or 其实 (qíshí, "actually"), so the next clause reveals that the first impression is incomplete.

Other meanings

  • on the surfaceadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word