kàn diànshì: 看电视 - To Watch TV/Television

• Keywords: kan dianshi, 看电视, how to say watch TV in Chinese, watch television in Chinese, kàn diànshì meaning, Chinese for watching TV, HSK 1 vocabulary, Chinese verbs, learning Chinese.
• Summary: Learn how to say “to watch TV” in Mandarin Chinese with the essential phrase 看电视 (kàn diànshì). This guide breaks down the characters 看 (kàn) and 电视 (diànshì), explains its cultural significance in China, and provides 10 practical example sentences. Perfect for HSK 1 students and beginners, this entry covers common mistakes and related terms to help you master this fundamental everyday expression.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kàn diànshì
• Part of Speech: Verb-Object Phrase
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: To watch television.
• In a Nutshell: 看电视 (kàn diànshì) is the most common and direct way to express the action of watching television in Mandarin. It's a literal combination of the verb “to watch/look” and the noun “television.” This phrase is a cornerstone of daily conversation, used to talk about hobbies, evening plans, and relaxation.

• 看 (kàn): This character is a pictograph of a hand (手) held over an eye (目), vividly depicting the act of looking intently or shielding the eyes to see better. It's a versatile verb meaning “to look,” “to watch,” “to see,” or even “to read.”
• 电 (diàn): This character originally depicted a bolt of lightning, and its core meaning is “electricity” or “electric.”
• 视 (shì): This character relates to sight and vision. It's composed of the radical “to see” (见) and another phonetic component. It means “to view” or “vision.”

When combined, 电视 (diànshì) literally translates to “electric vision,” a logical and descriptive name for a television. Adding the verb 看 (kàn) before it creates the complete action: “to look at the electric vision,” or simply, “to watch TV.”

For decades, watching television was a primary form of family entertainment and a significant communal activity in China. Owning a television was a status symbol, and families would often gather around a single small set to watch the evening news or popular dramas. The annual CCTV New Year's Gala (春节联欢晚会, Chūnjié Liánhuān Wǎnhuì) remains a major cultural event, akin to the Super Bowl in the United States, where hundreds of millions of people tune in simultaneously, creating a powerful shared national experience. While the rise of the internet and streaming services has changed viewing habits—many young people now prefer to watch shows on their phones or laptops—the phrase 看电视 has evolved with the times. It is often used more broadly to mean “watching a show or series,” regardless of the device. The concept has shifted from a specific activity tied to a physical TV set to a more general term for consuming episodic video content.

看电视 is a high-frequency, informal phrase used in all kinds of daily situations.

• Making Small Talk: It's a common way to ask about someone's hobbies or how they spend their free time. (e.g., “你喜欢看电视吗?” - Nǐ xǐhuān kàn diànshì ma? - “Do you like to watch TV?”)
• Describing Evening/Weekend Plans: People use it to talk about how they relax. (e.g., “我今天晚上想在家看电视。” - Wǒ jīntiān wǎnshàng xiǎng zài jiā kàn diànshì. - “I want to stay home and watch TV tonight.”)
• Broader Meaning: As mentioned, it can refer to binging a series on Netflix or Youku (a popular Chinese streaming platform), not just watching broadcast television. For watching short-form videos, however, a more specific term like `看视频 (kàn shìpín)` is more common.

The phrase is generally neutral in connotation and is appropriate for informal and semi-formal conversations.

• Example 1:
  • 我爸爸每天晚上都看电视。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bàba měitiān wǎnshàng dōu kàn diànshì.
  • English: My dad watches TV every evening.
  • Analysis: A simple sentence describing a daily habit. `每天 (měitiān)` means “every day” and `都 (dōu)` emphasizes that this action applies to all instances.
• Example 2:
  • 你在做什么？我在看电视。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zài zuò shénme? Wǒ zài kàn diànshì.
  • English: What are you doing? I'm watching TV.
  • Analysis: This shows the present continuous tense, indicated by `在 (zài)`. It's a very common conversational exchange.
• Example 3:
  • 我们吃完饭以后一起看电视吧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen chī wán fàn yǐhòu yīqǐ kàn diànshì ba.
  • English: Let's watch TV together after we finish eating.
  • Analysis: `吧 (ba)` at the end of the sentence turns it into a suggestion. `吃完饭以后 (chī wán fàn yǐhòu)` means “after finishing the meal.”
• Example 4:
  • 我不喜欢看电视，我更喜欢看书。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù xǐhuān kàn diànshì, wǒ gèng xǐhuān kànshū.
  • English: I don't like to watch TV, I prefer reading books.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the negative form using `不 (bù)` and shows a comparison using `更 (gèng)`, which means “more.”
• Example 5:
  • 昨天我看电视看到了很晚。
  • Pinyin: Zuótiān wǒ kàn diànshì kàn dào le hěn wǎn.
  • English: Yesterday I watched TV until very late.
  • Analysis: This example shows a resultative complement. `看到 (kàn dào)` means “watched until,” and `了 (le)` indicates the completion of the action.
• Example 6:
  • 这个周末你有什么计划？我只想在家里看电视。
  • Pinyin: Zhège zhōumò nǐ yǒu shénme jìhuà? Wǒ zhǐ xiǎng zài jiālǐ kàn diànshì.
  • English: What are your plans for this weekend? I just want to stay at home and watch TV.
  • Analysis: A great example of how the phrase is used to talk about plans for relaxation. `只 (zhǐ)` means “only” or “just.”
• Example 7:
  • 别一直看电视，对眼睛不好。
  • Pinyin: Bié yīzhí kàn diànshì, duì yǎnjīng bù hǎo.
  • English: Don't watch TV all the time, it's bad for your eyes.
  • Analysis: `别 (bié)` is used to tell someone not to do something. `对…不好 (duì…bù hǎo)` is a common structure meaning “is bad for…”
• Example 8:
  • 你最喜欢看什么电视频道？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zuì xǐhuān kàn shénme diànshì píndào?
  • English: What's your favorite TV channel to watch?
  • Analysis: This shows how the phrase can be broken up. Here, `看 (kàn)` is separated from `电视 (diànshì)` by the question word `什么 (shénme)`. The object being watched is “TV channel” (`电视频道`).
• Example 9:
  • 孩子做完作业才能看电视。
  • Pinyin: Háizi zuò wán zuòyè cái néng kàn diànshì.
  • English: The child can only watch TV after finishing their homework.
  • Analysis: The structure `…才 (cái) …` indicates that the second action can only happen after the first condition is met.
• Example 10:
  • 因为下雨，我们取消了计划，在酒店看了一下午的电视。
  • Pinyin: Yīnwèi xià yǔ, wǒmen qǔxiāo le jìhuà, zài jiǔdiàn kàn le yī xiàwǔ de diànshì.
  • English: Because it was raining, we canceled our plans and watched TV in the hotel for the whole afternoon.
  • Analysis: A more complex sentence showing cause and effect with `因为 (yīnwèi)`. It also demonstrates how a time duration, `一下午 (yī xiàwǔ - one afternoon)`, can be placed within the verb-object phrase.

• `看` has multiple meanings: For beginners, the biggest confusion with `看 (kàn)` is its versatility. The meaning is determined by the object that follows it.
  • `看电视 (kàn diànshì)` - to watch TV
  • `看书 (kàn shū)` - to read a book
  • `看朋友 (kàn péngyǒu)` - to visit a friend
  • `看医生 (kàn yīshēng)` - to see a doctor
  • Mistake: Thinking `看` only means “to look at.” Always consider the noun it's paired with.
• `看电视` (watch TV) vs. `看电影` (watch a movie): This is a key distinction.
  • 看电视 (kàn diànshì): Refers to watching television programming, series, or shows, typically at home.
  • 看电影 (kàn diànyǐng): Refers to watching a film or movie, especially in a cinema. You can “watch a movie on TV” (`在电视上看电影`), but the default activities are separate.
  • Mistake: Saying `我去电影院看电视` (Wǒ qù diànyǐngyuàn kàn diànshì - “I'm going to the cinema to watch TV”). This is incorrect; you should say `…看电影`.
• Using the wrong verb: While other verbs for “look” exist, `看` is the standard for TV. Using verbs like `瞧 (qiáo - to glance)` or `望 (wàng - to gaze from a distance)` would sound strange or be grammatically incorrect in this context. `*瞧电视` is not standard Mandarin.

• 电视 (diànshì) - The noun for “television” or “TV set.”
• 电视剧 (diànshìjù) - A TV drama or TV series. More specific than just `电视`.
• 电影 (diànyǐng) - A movie or film. The common counterpart to TV.
• 节目 (jiémù) - A (TV/radio) program or show.
• 视频 (shìpín) - Video. Often used in the phrase `看视频 (kàn shìpín)`, meaning “to watch videos” (e.g., on YouTube or Youku).
• 看书 (kàn shū) - To read a book. A useful term to contrast with `看电视`.
• 上网 (shàng wǎng) - To go online / to surf the internet. A major alternative leisure activity.
• 遥控器 (yáokòngqì) - Remote control. An essential object for watching TV.
• 沙发 (shāfā) - Sofa / couch. Where one often sits to watch TV.
• 休闲 (xiūxián) - Leisure / to relax. Watching TV is a common form of leisure.