Mini-Test Answer: 看 (kàn)

Beginner Level 初级 (chūjí)

The right answer to the test is C.

Translation:
           Nǐ zěnme le?
 Anne: 你   怎么 了?

           Are you OK?

           Yǒu diǎnr gǎnmào.
Helen: 有    点儿    感冒。

           I think I have a cold.

          Wǒ péi nǐ qù kàn yīshēng ba.
Anne: 我   陪 你去 看    医生     吧。

           I think you should go see a doctor. Let’s go together.

           Hǎo de, xièxie le.
Helen: 好    的,谢谢 了。

           Okay, great. Thank you very much.

Analysis:

The word “看” has two pronunciations.

When reading it in the fourth tone as “kàn,” the word has three meanings: to visit, to read and to see. For example, “看朋友 (kàn péngyou) to visit friends,” “看书 (kàn shū) to read a book” and “看电影 (kàn diànyǐng) to watch or to see a movie.”

When reading it in the first tone as “kān,” the word means to oversee or to look after. For example, “看守所 (kānshǒusuǒ)  detention house,” “看家 (kān jiā) to look after the house,” and “看门狗 (kān mén gǒu) the watch dog.”

In the above conversation, the meaning used is to see a doctor. You can use “看病 (kàn bìng),” or “看医生 (kàn yīshēng)” to say “to see a doctor.”

Examples:

Jiějie hěn xǐhuan kànshū.
姐姐   很     喜欢     看书。

My older sister likes reading books.

Wǒ shēntǐ bù shūfu, yào qù kàn yīshēng.
我   身体    不 舒服, 要   去 看    医生。

I feel sick. I think I should go see a doctor.

Wǒmen chūqù guàngjiē, dìdi jiù zhǐ hǎo liú zài jiā lǐ kān jiā le.
我们         出去     逛街, 弟弟 就只 好  留 在 家里看    家了。

When we went shopping together, our little brother would stay at home and look after the house.

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3 thoughts on “Mini-Test Answer: 看 (kàn)”

  1. “I think you should go see a doctor. Let’s go together.”

    This is a rather liberal translation of what that sentence says. I’d personally translate it as, “Shall I accompany you to the doctor?”

    Also, all three of the answers given today are correct. You can go to ask a doctor, “look for” (找 really means seek out in this context, not necessarily implying that you need to search for one, e.g. 找朋友玩 = “seek out a friend to hang out”), as well as going to “see” a doctor.

  2. Sathoud Iras

    Thank you very much for all your lessons.What I have not understood is the meaning of together which means yiqi but in the chinese sentence I did not see.Thanks again!

  3. Jennifer Zhu

    Yes, you are right, Sathoud Iras. 一起 does mean together, but in the sentence 我陪你去看医生吧, “陪” means to accompany, so the “together” is implied in that way. Just as Andrew commented, you can translate the sentence to “Shall I accompany you to the doctor?”

    Thanks very much for your comments and concerns

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