{"id":7821,"date":"2015-07-20T14:11:24","date_gmt":"2015-07-20T06:11:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/akikolingoland.com\/?p=7821"},"modified":"2015-07-30T12:11:14","modified_gmt":"2015-07-30T04:11:14","slug":"look-here-a-look-at-%e7%9c%8b-kan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/akikolingoland.com\/en\/look-here-a-look-at-%e7%9c%8b-kan\/","title":{"rendered":"Look here! – A look at \u770b k\u00e0n"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey there, look here!<\/h1>\n

\"\u770b<\/p>\n

This is a pretty basic word that most beginners would pick up very soon after embarking on their Mandarin learning journey. Typically translated as \u2018look\u2019, \u2018watch\u2019, \u2018see\u2019, \u2018read’. If you have a good look at the ancient form of the character, it depicts a hand over an eye.<\/p>\n

\"\u770b<\/a><\/p>\n

Simple enough! Very vividly tells you that this is something you do with your eyes. There\u2019s more to this than meets the eye though. Sometimes it\u2019s a little confusing. Other times, you might be in for a surprise at discovering some other quirky flavours to its character.<\/p>\n

So today let\u2019s look at this guy.<\/em>
\nL\u00e1i k\u00e0nkan ‘k\u00e0n’ zh\u00e8 ge z\u00ec!
\n\u6765\u770b\u770b\u2018\u770b\u2019\u8fd9\u4e2a\u5b57\uff01<\/span><\/p>\n

As you can see above, this character can be read both as k\u0101n (1st tone) and k\u00e0n (4th tone). Thankfully though, most times it is in the 4th tone,\u00a0k\u00e0n. So this is the one we’ll be focussing on today.<\/p>\n

\u770b\u00a0k\u00e0n<\/span><\/h1>\n

1) the basics<\/h2>\n

Since this is a verb that talks about things\u00a0that you do with your eyes, naturally you use it with some common activities like:<\/p>\n

k\u00e0n sh\u016b
\n\u770b\u4e66<\/span>
\nread a book<\/em><\/p>\n

k\u00e0n di\u00e0ny\u01d0ng
\n\u770b\u7535\u5f71<\/span>
\nwatch a movie<\/em><\/p>\n

k\u00e0n di\u00e0nsh\u00ec
\n\u770b\u7535\u89c6<\/span>
\nwatch TV<\/em><\/p>\n

Or just simply:<\/p>\n

k\u00e0n
\n\u770b\uff01<\/span>
\nLook!<\/em><\/p>\n

And how about this:<\/p>\n

N\u01d0 k\u00e0n sh\u00e9nme ya?
\n\u4f60\u770b\u4ec0\u4e48\u5440\uff1f<\/span>
\nWhat are you looking at\/ watching\/ reading?<\/em><\/p>\n

Whether to translate \u770b k\u00e0n in this sentence\u00a0as\u00a0‘look’, ‘watch’ or ‘read’\u00a0would really depend on the context.<\/p>\n

2) a step up<\/h2>\n

Now let\u2019s look at another common use of this word.<\/p>\n

k\u00e0n p\u00e9ngyou
\n\u770b\u670b\u53cb<\/span>
\nvisit a friend<\/em><\/p>\n

T\u0101 b\u00ecng le, w\u01d2men q\u00f9 k\u00e0nkan t\u0101 ba.
\n\u4ed6\u75c5\u4e86\uff0c\u6211\u4eec\u53bb\u770b\u770b\u4ed6\u5427\u3002<\/span>
\nHe\u2019s sick. Let\u2019s go visit him.<\/em><\/p>\n

Bi\u00e9 w\u00e0ng le ch\u00e1ng l\u00e1i k\u00e0n w\u01d2men a.
\n\u522b\u5fd8\u4e86\u5e38\u6765\u770b\u6211\u4eec\u554a\u3002<\/span>
\nDon\u2019t forget to come visit us often.<\/em><\/p>\n

3) know who you’re talking about!<\/h2>\n

The next one is sometimes confusing. But if you think of\u00a0it as an extension of the second definition, it makes sense. You just have to pay attention to the context.<\/p>\n

k\u00e0n b\u00ecng
\n\u770b\u75c5<\/span><\/p>\n

\u75c5 b\u00ecng means illness, and when we use \u770b k\u00e0n with it, we mean treating it, or to have it treated. This is where you have to be careful, as this phrase could mean a doctor examining and treating a patient, or a patient visiting and consulting a doctor.<\/p>\n

T\u0101 k\u00e0nb\u00ecng qu le.
\n\u4ed6\u770b\u75c5\u53bb\u4e86\u3002<\/span><\/p>\n

A simple sentence like this can be ambiguous. He has gone to \u770b\u75c5 k\u00e0n b\u00ecng. If you don\u2019t know who this \u4ed6 t\u0101\u00a0(he) is, it\u2019s rather hard to translate it correctly. Perhaps he has gone to visit a doctor (because he\u2019s sick).<\/em> Or perhaps, (he is a doctor and) he is off to treat a patient<\/em>. Another reason why context is so important!<\/p>\n

4) so you think you know…<\/h2>\n

What do you think of this next example:<\/p>\n

N\u01d0 k\u00e0n zh\u00e8ge z\u011bnmey\u00e0ng?
\n\u4f60\u770b\u8fd9\u4e2a\u600e\u4e48\u6837\uff1f<\/span><\/p>\n

\u770b k\u00e0n here means \u2018to think\u2019, \u2018to consider\u2019. So the above sentence means \u2018What do you think of this?’<\/em><\/p>\n

W\u01d2 k\u00e0n sh\u00ecqing m\u00e9i n\u00e0me ji\u01cend\u0101n.
\n\u6211\u770b\u4e8b\u60c5\u6ca1\u90a3\u4e48\u7b80\u5355\u3002<\/span>
\nI don’t think the matter is so simple.<\/em><\/p>\n

W\u01d2 k\u00e0n t\u0101 b\u00fahu\u00ec d\u0101ying de.
\n\u6211\u770b\u4ed6\u4e0d\u4f1a\u7b54\u5e94\u7684\u3002<\/span>
\nI don’t think\u00a0he would\u00a0agree to it.<\/em><\/p>\n

5) now it depends!<\/h2>\n

Whether you can guess the meaning of this one depends on… your imagination, perhaps?<\/p>\n

A: N\u01d0 m\u00edngti\u0101n l\u00e1i ma?
\nA\uff1a\u4f60\u660e\u5929\u6765\u5417\uff1f<\/span>
\nA: Are you coming tomorrow?<\/em><\/p>\n

B: K\u00e0n x\u012bnq\u00edng.
\nB\uff1a\u770b\u5fc3\u60c5\uff01<\/span><\/p>\n

\u5fc3\u60c5 x\u012bnq\u00edng means \u2018mood’. So what does \u770b k\u00e0n here mean? What is B saying?<\/p>\n

B: \u2018Depends on (my) mood!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a few more:<\/p>\n

Z\u00e0i k\u00e0n ba.
\n\u518d\u770b\u5427\uff01<\/span>
\nWe\u2019ll see. (It depends. We\u2019ll look at the conditions then.)<\/em><\/p>\n

Y\u012bfu n\u00e9ng bu n\u00e9ng li\u00e0ngg\u0101n, y\u00e0o k\u00e0n ti\u0101nq\u00ec.
\n \u8863\u670d\u80fd\u4e0d\u80fd\u667e\u5e72\uff0c\u8981\u770b\u5929\u6c14\u3002<\/span>
\nWhether the clothes will dry depends on the weather.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ch\u00e9ngg\u014dng bu ch\u00e9ngg\u014dng, y\u00e0o k\u00e0n g\u00e8r\u00e9n n\u01d4l\u00ec.
\n\u6210\u529f\u4e0d\u6210\u529f\u8981\u770b\u4e2a\u4eba\u52aa\u529b\u3002<\/span>
\nSuccess depends on hard work. (Whether one succeeds or not depends on one\u2019s hard work.)<\/em><\/p>\n

6) a must-try!<\/h2>\n

Another use of k\u00e0n is to affix it after verbs (typically reduplicated verbs) to mean \u2018to have a try\u2019. It\u2019s not hard to imagine the logic behind this. Do something, and see how it goes!<\/p>\n

W\u01d2 xi\u01cengxiang k\u00e0n.
\n\u6211\u60f3\u60f3\u770b\u3002<\/span>
\nLet me think about it.<\/em><\/p>\n

N\u01d0 sh\u00ecshi k\u00e0n.
\n\u4f60\u8bd5\u8bd5\u770b\u3002<\/span>
\nYou give it a try.<\/em><\/p>\n

Y\u00f2ngyong k\u00e0n.
\n\u7528\u7528\u770b\u3002<\/span>
\nTry using it.<\/em><\/p>\n

7) watch out!<\/h2>\n

The last one is my favourite (though I don’t really know why it is).<\/p>\n

K\u00e0n ch\u0113!
\n\u770b\u8f66\uff01<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, \u8f66 ch\u0113\u00a0means \u2018car\u2019, or \u2018vehicle\u2019, but here, we\u2019re not talking about looking at cars, but to ‘watch\u00a0out’<\/em>, to ‘be careful\u2019<\/em>. Parents tend to automatically tell their kids to \u770b\u8f66\u00a0k\u00e0n ch\u0113 when crossing the road.<\/p>\n

Z\u01d2u l\u00f9 y\u00e0o k\u00e0n l\u00f9 a.
\n\u8d70\u8def\u8981\u770b\u8def\u554a\u3002<\/span>
\n(When walking) Look where you\u2019re going!<\/em><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s an adorable baby\u00a0to illustrate this sentence.<\/p>\n

\"\u770b\u8def\u554a\u72d7\u72d7\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After looking at so many examples, you\u2019ve got to give some of them a try!<\/em>
\nK\u00e0n le n\u00e0me du\u014d l\u00eczi, y\u00edd\u00ecng y\u00e0o y\u00f2ngyong k\u00e0n o!
\n\u770b\u4e86\u90a3\u4e48\u591a\u4f8b\u5b50\uff0c\u4e00\u5b9a\u8981\u7528\u7528\u770b\u54e6\uff01<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\nIf you’ve enjoyed this, don’t forget to hit one of the sharing buttons below, and do join me on<\/span> Google+<\/span><\/a>\/ Facebook<\/span><\/a>\/\u00a0Youtub<\/span><\/a>e\/\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\/ Pinterest<\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hey there, look here! This is a pretty basic word that most beginners would pick up very soon after embarking on their Mandarin learning journey. Typically translated as \u2018look\u2019, \u2018watch\u2019, \u2018see\u2019, \u2018read’. If you have a good...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7837,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[293,97,82],"tags":[235,232,242,233,296],"class_list":["post-7821","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-chinese-characters","category-mandarin","tag-beginner","tag-elementary","tag-pre-intermediate","tag-verbs","tag-kan"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t