Usage note
观察表示仔细看和注意。
guān chá biǎo shì zǐ xì kàn hé zhù yì。
观察 means to watch carefully and pay attention.
Context note
观察常用于学习、科学和生活。
guān chá cháng yòng yú xué xí 、 kē xué hé shēng huó。
It is often used with learning, science, and life.
5 examples
请观察图片。
qǐng guān chá tú piàn。
Please observe the picture.
老师让我们观察植物。
lǎo shī ràng wǒ men guān chá zhí wù。
The teacher asked us to observe plants.
他喜欢观察别人。
tā xǐ huan guān chá bié rén。
He likes observing others.
观察可以帮助学习。
guān chá kě yǐ bāng zhù xué xí。
Observation can help learning.
孩子正在观察蚂蚁。
hái zi zhèng zài guān chá mǎ yǐ。
The child is observing ants.
5 mini stories
科学课上，大家认真观察实验。
kē xué kè shàng， dà jiā rèn zhēn guān chá shí yàn。
In science class, everyone carefully observed the experiment.
老师让学生观察天气变化。
lǎo shī ràng xué shēng guān chá tiān qì biàn huà。
The teacher asked students to observe changes in the weather.
他习惯先观察，再说话。
tā xí guàn xiān guān chá， zài shuō huà。
He is used to observing first, then speaking.
孩子们观察树叶的颜色。
hái zi men guān chá shù yè de yán sè。
The children observed the color of the leaves.
观察细节能发现很多东西。
guān chá xì jié néng fā xiàn hěn duō dōng xī。
Observing details can reveal many things.
Mini dialogue
Observing insects
A
我们在花园里观察蚂蚁吧。
Wǒmen zài huāyuán lǐ guānchá mǎyǐ ba.
Let's observe the ants in the garden.
B
好主意，我喜欢观察小动物。
Hǎo zhǔyì, wǒ xǐhuān guānchá xiǎo dòngwù.
Good idea, I like observing small animals.
In science class
A
请仔细观察这个实验。
Qǐng zǐxì guānchá zhège shíyàn.
Please observe this experiment carefully.
B
我在观察，颜色变了！
Wǒ zài guānchá, yánsè biàn le!
I am observing, the color changed!
Related words and contrasts
similar
观看
guānkàn
watch
Both involve looking, but 观察 is more careful and detailed.
related
注意
zhùyì
pay attention
观察 requires you to 注意 details.
related
发现
fāxiàn
discover
After you 观察, you might 发现 something new.