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Kotomora

看

watch over, see

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes9

Readings

On'yomi

  • カン

Kun'yomi

  • み.る

Meaning

看 centers on directing one's gaze to observe or supervise: watching over someone or something, or simply seeing with attention.

Most common words using 看

20 of 114
  • 看護かんご
    N1

    nursing; (army) nurse

  • 看板かんばん
    N2

    signboard; sign; billboard; hoarding; doorplate

  • 看守かんしゅ

    prison guard; warder; jailer; gaoler

  • 看病かんびょう
    N2

    nursing (a patient)

  • 看るみる

    to look after (often medically); to take care of

  • 看板娘かんばんむすめ

    pretty girl who attracts customers to come inside a shop

  • 看過かんか

    overlooking; turning a blind eye

  • 看破かんぱ

    seeing through (e.g. someone's lies); reading (e.g. thoughts); penetrating; detecting

  • 看取りみとり

    nursing; caring for the sick

  • 看取るみとる

    to care for (the sick); to nurse; to attend (someone's deathbed)

  • 看護婦かんごふ
    N4

    (female) nurse

  • 看護師かんごし
    N4

    (hospital) nurse; registered nurse; RN

  • 准看護婦じゅんかんごふ

    (female) assistant nurse; practical nurse

  • 立て看板たてかんばん

    standing signboard; billboard; hoarding

  • 表看板おもてかんばん

    sign out in front; front (for someone)

  • 付き添い看護婦つきそいかんごふ

    (female) private nurse; patient attendant

  • 一枚看板いちまいかんばん

    leading player; prima donna; box-office star

  • オペ看オペかん

    operating room nurse

  • ヤマザキ動物看護大学ヤマザキどうぶつかんごだいがく

    Yamazaki University of Animal Nursing

  • 三重県立看護大学みえけんりつかんごだいがく

    Mie Prefectural College Of Nursing

Explore all words using 看 →

Study

Etymology

看 combines 龵 (a variant of 手, hand) above 目 (eye), suggesting a hand shading the eye to look carefully. This is a well-established component explanation.

Meaning mnemonic

The top part looks like a hand (龵) held above an eye (目). Picture someone shielding their eyes from the sun to watch over a distant scene.

Reading mnemonic

For カン, imagine a guard watching over a camp with a can of food: can -> カン, and the guard keeps a careful eye on everything.