查看
chá kàn · HSK 6
to look over
🔍 查 = investigate + 看 = look; together: look into, examine
查 means to investigate or check, and 看 means to look or watch. The compound 查看 layers the two verbs into a single act: looking with the intent to verify or inspect.
查 — wood 木 + sun-on-tree 旦-like 且
Originally a variant form related to 楂 (a type of raft or wooden float), combining 木 (tree/wood) with 且 as phonetic. Over time it shifted to mean 'to inspect' or 'investigate,' likely through the idea of examining wood or tallies. The reading chá for 'check' became dominant in modern usage.
看 — hand 手 over eye 目
看 is an associative compound showing a hand (手, simplified to 龹) shading an eye (目), depicting someone shielding their eyes to look into the distance. From this concrete gesture it broadened to mean 'to look,' 'to watch,' and later 'to read' or 'to consider.'