verb HSK 1
Traditional 見
to see · to meet · to appear
Meaning
见 is one of the most fundamental verbs in Mandarin, meaning to see or to meet with one's eyes. It can refer to physically seeing someone or something, meeting with people, or things appearing or being visible. It's used in countless everyday expressions and compounds.
Usage
见 is extremely common in daily conversation. It often appears in compounds like 看见 (to catch sight of), 见面 (to meet face-to-face), and 再见 (goodbye). When used alone as a verb, it typically takes an object. In formal or written contexts, it can also mean 'to have an audience with' or 'to be exposed to.'
Examples
- 01你看见我的手机了吗？?Did you see my phone?
- 02我们明天见面吧。.Let's meet tomorrow.
Common collocations
- 见面to meet in person
- 看见to see, to catch sight of
- 听见to hear
- 再见goodbye
Origin
The traditional form 見 shows an eye (目) above a person (儿), literally depicting someone seeing. The simplified form 见 reduces the character while maintaining the basic meaning.