A1 Collocation Neutral

看手机

kan shou ji

Look at phone

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use {看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī} to describe the act of looking at your phone screen.

  • Means: To look at or use a mobile phone.
  • Used in: Casual conversation, describing habits, or explaining why someone is distracted.
  • Don't confuse: {看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī} (looking at phone) with {打|dǎ}{电|diàn}{话|huà} (making a call).
Eyes + Smartphone = {看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī}

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means to look at your phone. You use it when someone is using their phone.
This is a common collocation for using a mobile device. It is used in daily life to describe someone looking at their screen.
The phrase {看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī} is the standard way to describe the act of viewing a mobile phone screen. It is highly versatile and used across various social contexts.
In contemporary Chinese, {看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī} serves as the primary lexical item for mobile device interaction. It captures the habitual nature of modern screen-time usage.
The collocation {看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī} functions as a semantic anchor for digital engagement in Chinese. It is a frequent, neutral expression that encapsulates the pervasive nature of mobile technology in modern social discourse.
From a sociolinguistic perspective, {看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī} represents the linguistic adaptation to the digital age. It is a highly productive collocation that has superseded older, more specific verbs, reflecting the consolidation of digital tasks into the singular act of 'looking at the phone'.

Meaning

To view the screen of a mobile phone.

🌍

Cultural Background

Mobile phones are essential for payments (WeChat Pay/Alipay).

💡

Context matters

Use {看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī} for screens, {打|dǎ}{电|diàn}{话|huà} for calls.

Meaning

To view the screen of a mobile phone.

💡

Context matters

Use {看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī} for screens, {打|dǎ}{电|diàn}{话|huà} for calls.

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

他正在______。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 看手机

We look at phones, we don't 'listen' or 'hit' them.

🎉 Score: /1

Frequently Asked Questions

1 questions

No, that is incorrect. Use 'kan shouji'.

Related Phrases

🔄

玩手机

synonym

Playing on the phone

Where to Use It

🍽️

At dinner

Mom: 别{看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī}了，快{吃|chī}{饭|fàn}。

informal
🚌

Waiting for a bus

Friend: 你{在|zài}{看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī}吗？

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a hand (手) holding a machine (机) that you look (看) at all day.

Visual Association

A person sitting on a bench, eyes glued to a glowing screen in their palm.

Rhyme

Look at the phone, {看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī}, it's as easy as can be.

Story

Xiao Wang is waiting for the bus. He is bored. He takes out his phone. He starts to {看|kàn}{手|shǒu}{机|jī}. He scrolls for 10 minutes until the bus arrives.

Word Web

手机看玩刷屏幕信息社交媒体

Challenge

Spend 5 minutes describing everything you see on your phone screen using Chinese.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Mirar el móvil

None, very similar.

French high

Regarder son téléphone

None.

German moderate

Auf das Handy schauen

German requires a preposition.

Japanese high

スマホを見る

None.

Arabic moderate

ينظر إلى الهاتف

Prepositional usage.

Chinese high

看手机

None.

Korean high

핸드폰을 보다

Grammatical markers.

Portuguese high

Olhar o celular

None.

Easily Confused

看手机 vs 打手机

Learners think 'da' means to use.

Use 'da' for calling, 'kan' for looking.

FAQ (1)

No, that is incorrect. Use 'kan shouji'.

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