Translation guide
The act of visually scanning one's surroundings, often with a sense of curiosity, searching, or casual observation. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various verbs and phrases that differ by intent, such as browsing, searching, or sightseeing.
I looked around the store.
To stroll or wander around casually, often without a clear purpose. Implies a relaxed, leisurely pace.
I wandered around town.
To take a stroll, often in a scenic area. Slightly formal or literary.
I strolled around the park.
To look around with the purpose of finding something or someone.
To search for something. Use with a location particle を to indicate 'looking around (a place) for something'.
I looked around the room for my keys.
To look around (scanning the area), often with a sense of searching or checking. Can be used alone or with 探す.
To look around restlessly or nervously, often moving one's head around. Implies a lack of focus or anxiety.
The lost child was looking around nervously.
To look around a place for enjoyment, as a tourist.
To quickly look around, often to check one's surroundings.
見回す (みまわす) is used for looking around a relatively confined space, like a room, often to find something. 見渡す (みわたす) is for taking in a wide, open view, like a landscape.
While 見て回る is common, it implies walking around while looking. If you are stationary and just turning your head, use 見回す or きょろきょろする. If you are searching, use 探す.
彼はあたりを見回した。
He looked around the area.