観 means “view, watch, observe”

かん · kan

Also: outlook, look, appearance, condition

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

みる, しめす

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カン

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 4 · 18 strokes

The story

A bird (隹) on watch beside a seeing eye (見): looking closely. 観光, sightseeing, is literally "viewing the light" of a place, 観客 are the audience, and 観る is to watch a film or a match.

Used in 観光 (kankou, sightseeing), 観客 (kankyaku, audience), and 観察 (kansatsu, observation)

More from Ask & Tell

• 呼 call
• 辞 word
• 探 search
• 誤 mistake
• 鳴 cry (animal)
• 表 surface
• 調 investigate
• 報 report
• 告 tell
• 求 seek
• 示 show
• 伝 convey

Learn 観 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.