kàn 看 vs zhǎng 长 – to look/watch vs long/tall
Mandarin pairs short sounds like kàn 看 and zhǎng 长 that learners must tease apart by tone and context. This guide contrasts them with clear examples so you can tell when someone means "to look" versus "long" or "to grow."
kàn 看 – to look, watch, read, or consider
kàn 看 primarily means to look at, watch, or read something. It can also extend metaphorically to "consider" or "judge" depending on context.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 看电影 | kàn diànyǐng | watch a movie |
| 看书 | kàn shū | read a book |
| 看一看 | kàn yī kàn | take a look |
| 看时间 | kàn shíjiān | check the time |
| 看法 | kànfǎ | opinion, way of seeing |
| Hanzi Example | Pinyin Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| 🖥️ 我晚上常常看电影。 | Wǒ wǎnshàng chángcháng kàn diànyǐng. | I often watch movies in the evening. |
| 📖 她喜欢看小说。 | Tā xǐhuan kàn xiǎoshuō. | She likes to read novels. |
| 👀 请你看这个照片。 | Qǐng nǐ kàn zhège zhàopiàn. | Please look at this photo. |
| 🗣️ 我们应该看看别人的意见。 | Wǒmen yīnggāi kàn kàn biérén de yìjiàn. | We should consider others’ opinions. |
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zhǎng 长 – long, tall, to grow
zhǎng 长 can be an adjective meaning "long" or "tall," or a verb meaning "to grow." The intended sense depends on whether it describes a noun or refers to an action.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 头发长 | tóufa zhǎng | hair is long |
| 树长得高 | shù zhǎng de gāo | tree grows tall |
| 长时间 | cháng shíjiān | long time |
| 长高 | zhǎng gāo | grow taller |
| 长指甲 | zhǎng zhǐjiǎ | grow nails |
| Hanzi Example | Pinyin Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| 🌱 植物长得很快。 | Zhíwù zhǎng de hěn kuài. | The plants grow very fast. |
| 🏫 他比以前长高了。 | Tā bǐ yǐqián zhǎng gāo le. | He has grown taller than before. |
| 🧵 这条裙子很长。 | Zhè tiáo qúnzi hěn cháng. | This skirt is very long. |
| 🐍 蛇的身体很长。 | Shé de shēntǐ hěn cháng. | The snake’s body is very long. |
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Key Differences
The key difference is that kàn 看 is an action of perceiving or viewing, while zhǎng 长 describes length/tallness or the process of growing. Tone difference (kàn vs zhǎng) signals which word it is, and syntactic role (verb vs adjective) guides meaning.
Tips to Remember
Think of kàn 看 as "to look/watch/read" and associate it with sensory actions like 看电视 or 看书. Think of zhǎng 长 as either describing physical length/theight or the biological process of growing when paired with things like 头发长 or 长高.
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Summary
kàn 看 = to look, watch, read, or consider; use for perceptual actions.
zhǎng 长 = long/tall (adjective) or to grow (verb); use for describing length or growth.
Pay attention to tone and sentence structure to choose the right one.
Last updated: Tue Sep 16, 2025