One Chinese character can have many different meanings. 看 (kàn) has at least 5! Can you guess them all?

看: to watch; to read

This might be the first meaning of 看 (kàn) that you've learned.

It points at actions we do with our eyes - watch, read, etc.

For example:

看電影
kàn diàn yǐng
to watch a movie

看書
kàn shū
to read a book

看: to see, meet (a friend)

When you visit a friend, a relative - say, your grandma - at her house, you can also use 看 (kàn) to say "to see".

For example:

去朋友家看朋友
qù péng you jiā kàn péng you
to visit a friend at his/her house
[Literal meaning: to go-friend-home-to see-friend]

看: to see (a doctor)

When you go to the hospital to see a doctor, you can also use 看(kàn):

看病
kàn bìng
to see a doctor
[Literal meaning: to see-illness]

or

看醫(yī)生
kàn yī shēng
to see a doctor

看: to watch out

If you're walking down the street with a friend, and he/she suddenly shouts, 看車! (Kàn chē!) "Look-Car!", it means:

"Be careful, watch out (a car is coming)!"

看: to think; to consider

看 (kàn) also means "to think" or "to consider".

For example:

我看這個計劃不錯。
Wǒ kàn zhè ge jì huà bù cuò
I think this plan is great

你怎么看？
Nǐ zěn me kàn?
What do you think?

來源: That's Mandarin
編輯: 萬月英