Usage note
看望表示去看并问候别人。
kàn wàng biǎo shì qù kàn bìng wèn hòu bié rén。
看望 means to visit and greet someone.
Context note
看望常用于亲人、病人和朋友。
kàn wàng cháng yòng yú qīn rén 、 bìng rén hé péng yǒu。
It is often used with relatives, patients, and friends.
5 examples
我去看望奶奶。
wǒ qù kàn wàng nǎi nai。
I went to visit Grandma.
老师看望了生病的学生。
lǎo shī kàn wàng le shēng bìng de xué shēng。
The teacher visited the sick student.
她去看望朋友。
tā qù kàn wàng péng yǒu。
She went to visit a friend.
我们周末去看望外婆。
wǒ men zhōu mò qù kàn wàng wài pó。
We will visit Grandma on the weekend.
看望老人很有意义。
kàn wàng lǎo rén hěn yǒu yì yì。
Visiting the elderly is very meaningful.
5 mini stories
放学后，孩子去看望奶奶。
fàng xué hòu， hái zi qù kàn wàng nǎi nai。
After school, the child went to visit Grandma.
老师看望了住院的同学。
lǎo shī kàn wàng le zhù yuàn de tóng xué。
The teacher visited the classmate in the hospital.
他们一起去看望朋友。
tā men yì qǐ qù kàn wàng péng yǒu。
They went together to visit a friend.
看望时要有礼貌。
kàn wàng shí yào yǒu lǐ mào。
You should be polite when visiting.
周末他会去看望父母。
zhōu mò tā huì qù kàn wàng fù mǔ。
He will visit his parents on the weekend.
Mini dialogue
Visiting Grandma
A
周末我们去看望奶奶，好吗？
Zhōumò wǒmen qù kànwàng nǎinai, hǎo ma?
Let's go visit Grandma this weekend, okay?
B
好啊！奶奶一定很高兴。
Hǎo a! Nǎinai yīdìng hěn gāoxìng.
Okay! Grandma will be very happy.
Hospital Visit
A
小明生病了，我们去看望他吧。
Xiǎo Míng shēngbìng le, wǒmen qù kànwàng tā ba.
Xiao Ming is sick, let's go visit him.
B
好的，带上水果去看望他。
Hǎo de, dài shàng shuǐguǒ qù kànwàng tā.
Okay, bring some fruit to visit him.
Related words and contrasts
similar
拜访
bàifǎng
pay a visit; call on
Both mean to visit someone. 拜访 is more formal and respectful.
similar
探望
tànwàng
visit (especially someone sick or far away)
探望 is often used for visiting the sick or people in need.
related
访问
fǎngwèn
visit (a place or person for official purpose)
访问 is used for official or formal visits, like visiting a country or website.