Meaning of 观察
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to observe; to watch; to survey
How to use 观察
观察 is used for careful, purposeful watching, often over time: observing people, nature, changes, or a situation. It can also be a noun, as in 观察力 (guānchálì), the power of observation. Example: 他每天观察小鸟的变化。(Tā měitiān guānchá xiǎoniǎo de biànhuà.) He observes the birds' changes every day.
观 (guān) means to look, as in 观看 (guānkàn) and 观众 (guānzhòng). 察 (chá) means to examine closely, the same 察 found in 警察 (jǐngchá), the police who look into things. Put together, 观察 is looking carefully to learn something.
Common mistake: Learners often use 观察 for casual watching, like watching TV or a movie. That should be 看 (kàn) or 观看 (guānkàn). Also keep 察 (chá) in the second tone, and do not confuse it with 擦 (cā, to wipe), which adds the hand radical 扌.
观察 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.
观 guān · to observe · 6 strokes
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察 chá · to examine · 14 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 观察.
| 观点 | guāndiǎn | point of view; viewpoint |
| 参观 | cānguān | to visit (a place, e.g. museum or factory); to tour; to look around |
| 警察 | jǐngchá | police; police officer |
| 观众 | guānzhòng | spectators; audience; visitors (to an exhibition etc) |
| 观看 | guānkàn | to watch; to view |
| 乐观 | lèguān | optimistic; hopeful |
| 观念 | guānniàn | notion; thought |
| 客观 | kèguān | objective; impartial |
| 考察 | kǎochá | to inspect; to observe and study |
| 主观 | zhǔguān | subjective |
| 壮观 | zhuàngguān | spectacular; magnificent sight |
| 观光 | guānguāng | to tour; sightseeing |
Questions about 观察
What does 观察 mean?
观察 (guānchá) means "to observe; to watch; to survey" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 观察?
观察 is made of 2 characters: 观 (6 strokes), 察 (14 strokes). That is 20 strokes in total.
Is 观察 an HSK word?
Yes. 观察 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 观察 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 观察 is written 觀察.
What is the difference between 观察 and 参观?
观察 means to observe something carefully to understand it. 参观 (cānguān) means to visit and tour a place such as a museum or factory. You 参观 a school, but you 观察 how students behave there.
Can 观察 be used with 一下?
Yes. 观察一下 (guānchá yíxià) softens it to mean take a look or observe for a bit, for example 你再观察一下。(Nǐ zài guānchá yíxià.) Observe it a little longer. It is also often reduplicated as 观察观察.