Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 讀 / 读 | dú | ||
| 看 | kàn | /kʰän⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /kʰan²¹³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 讀 / 读 | tha̍k | Hokkien |
The verb 看 is commonly used to mean reading a book, a newspaper or looking at information. For a more academic or formal sense of 'reading', the term 阅读 is used. While 看 can also mean 'to look at' or 'to watch' (such as watching a movie), it is the standard colloquial way to express the act of reading text.
Which one should you use?
In common spoken Mandarin, 看 is a versatile word used to mean 'to read' (like a book) or 'to watch' (like a movie). In contrast, the word 读 is more specific, often referring to the act of reading aloud or the process of studying a text. For formal contexts, the term 阅读 is preferred for the concept of reading.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The Dungan language uses the forms нян, кан and дў, while the Hokkien language uses 讀 / 读.
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate that the action of reading is finished, you can add the aspect particle 了 after the verb, such as in 看完了. To express the specific ability to read and comprehend written text, speakers often use the complement 看得懂.
How do you pronounce it?
tha̍k
Did you know?
- In some linguistic reconstructions, the ancestor of the word for 'read' is connected to words meaning 'to complain' or 'to grumble'.
- The character 讀 contains the radical for 'speech' or 'to say' because the act of reading was historically inseparable from the act of reciting words aloud.
Examples in context
- 我不看报纸。I don't read the newspapers.This sentence shows how to use 看 to talk about not reading newspapers.Tatoeba #11239872 by klzlueylx, translation #9637444 by DJ_Saidez
- 你看文章了没？You read the paper?This sentence uses 看 to ask if someone has read a paper.Tatoeba #774101 by GlossaMatik, translation #774098 by FeuDRenais2
- 他看得懂中文。He knows how to read Chinese.This sentence uses 看 to describe the ability to read and understand Chinese.Tatoeba #1754355 by sadhen, translation #1751921 by Amastan
- 我喜欢读书。I like to read books.
- 我正在阅读一本有关历史的书。I am currently reading a book about history.
- 周末我喜欢在家里看书。I enjoy reading books at home on weekends.
- 他在图书馆读书。He is reading books at the library.
- 93 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “read” translations and entries 看, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 讀, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
