参观 meaning in English
to visit (a place, e.g. museum or factory); to tour; to look around
Meaning of 参观
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to visit (a place, e.g. museum or factory); to tour; to look around
How to use 参观
参观 is used for visiting places like museums, factories, schools or exhibitions, usually to look and learn. The place goes directly after the verb. Example: 我们明天去参观博物馆。(Wǒmen míngtiān qù cānguān bówùguǎn.) We are going to visit the museum tomorrow.
参 (cān) means to take part, as in 参加 (cānjiā), and 观 (guān) means to look, as in 观看 (guānkàn). When you 参观 a place, you take part in looking around it.
Common mistake: Learners often use 参观 for visiting people, but you cannot 参观 a friend. For people, use 看 (kàn) or 拜访 (bàifǎng), as in 去看朋友 (qù kàn péngyou), to visit a friend.
参观 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
参 cān · to take part in · 8 strokes
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观 guān · to observe · 6 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 参观.
| 参加 | cānjiā | to participate; to take part; to join |
| 观点 | guāndiǎn | point of view; viewpoint |
| 观众 | guānzhòng | spectators; audience; visitors (to an exhibition etc) |
| 观察 | guānchá | to observe; to watch; to survey |
| 观看 | guānkàn | to watch; to view |
| 乐观 | lèguān | optimistic; hopeful |
| 观念 | guānniàn | notion; thought |
| 客观 | kèguān | objective; impartial |
| 参与 | cānyù | to participate (in sth) |
| 参考 | cānkǎo | consultation; reference |
| 主观 | zhǔguān | subjective |
| 参赛 | cānsài | to compete; to take part in a competition |
Questions about 参观
What does 参观 mean?
参观 (cānguān) means "to visit (a place, e.g. museum or factory); to tour; to look around" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 参观?
参观 is made of 2 characters: 参 (8 strokes), 观 (6 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 参观 an HSK word?
Yes. 参观 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 参观 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 参观 is written 參觀.
What is the difference between 参观 and 访问?
参观 focuses on touring and looking around a place. 访问 (fǎngwèn) is more formal and often means an official visit to a country, organization or person, and it can also mean to interview.
Can I use 参观 for a whole city or country?
It sounds a bit odd for a whole city or country on a trip. For travel, Chinese speakers usually say 去北京旅游 (qù Běijīng lǚyóu) or 游览 (yóulǎn), and keep 参观 for specific sites like a temple, museum or company.