How to Write 览 (lǎn) — Meaning “To look at; to view; to read”

Imagine you are at an exhibition (展览) and you raise your head (the top part looks like a person with two eyes) to look (见) at the displays. The top resembles a pair of glasses or binoculars, helping you remember that 览 means to view or browse.

The top part 䒑 consists of three strokes: a left-falling stroke, a right-falling stroke, and a horizontal line below — keep them compact. The bottom radical 见 has a wide horizontal stroke at the top, and its last stroke is a curved hook (乚), not a straight vertical. A common mistake is making the top too large or writing the bottom as 贝 (shell) instead of 见 (see).

规 (guī) means rule or compass, and its left side is 夫 (husband) plus 见 (see), not the same top as 览. 觅 (mì) means to seek or look for, and it combines 爪 (claw) on top with 见 (see) — the top is different from 览's 䒑. Visually, 览's top is flatter and wider, while 觅's top looks like a hand reaching down.

览 appears in words like 浏览 (liú lǎn) for browsing the internet or skimming a book, and 游览 (yóu lǎn) for sightseeing at tourist attractions. It also forms 展览 (zhǎn lǎn), meaning exhibition or show. Culturally, 览 implies a relaxed, thorough viewing rather than a quick glance, so it fits well with leisure activities like visiting museums or reading.

Common words containing 览 include: 浏览 (liú lǎn) — to browse; to skim; 展览 (zhǎn lǎn) — Exhibition.; 游览 (yóu lǎn) — To go sightseeing.