Chinese Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE 看来
看来 (kànlái) is a useful word in Chinese for expressing opinions or making assessments based on observations.
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use 看来 to convey conclusions and insights in everyday conversations.
INTRODUCTION
看来 is used to introduce an observation or conclusion based on what the speaker has seen, heard, or perceived.
It is similar to It seems or It looks like in English.
天气这么阴，看来要下雨了。
The weather is so gloomy; it looks like it’s going to rain.View More Examples:
| 他不接电话，看来很忙。 | Tā bù jiē diànhuà, kànlái hěn máng. | He’s not answering the phone; it seems he’s very busy. |
| 她笑得这么开心，看来她听到了好消息。 | Tā xiào de zhème kāixīn, kànlái tā tīngdào le hǎo xiāoxi. | She’s smiling so happily; it seems she received good news. |
| 孩子们都不在家，看来去玩了。 | Háizimen dōu bù zài jiā, kànlái qù wán le. | The kids are not at home; it seems they went out to play. |
| 东西被翻得乱七八糟，看来家里进了贼。 | Dōngxī bèi fān de luànqībāzāo, kànlái jiālǐ jìn le zéi. | The things are all messed up; it seems a thief broke in. |
| 他迟到了一个小时，看来路上堵车了。 | Tā chídào le yí ge xiǎoshí, kànlái lùshàng dǔchē le. | He’s an hour late; it looks like there was traffic. |
| 看来我们得早点出发，火车站很远。 | Kànlái wǒmen děi zǎodiǎn chūfā, huǒchēzhàn hěn yuǎn. | It seems we need to leave early; the train station is far. |
| 你最近总加班，看来工作很忙啊。 | Nǐ zuìjìn zǒng jiābān, kànlái gōngzuò hěn máng a. | You’ve been working overtime a lot lately; it seems your work is very busy. |
INFERRING OUTCOMES WITH 看来
In this usage, 看来 is often used to make a prediction or inference about future outcomes based on current evidence.
他已经三天没联系了，看来不会来了。
He hasn’t contacted us for three days; it seems he’s not coming.View More Examples:
| 这么多人排队，看来要等很久。 | Zhème duō rén páiduì, kànlái yào děng hěn jiǔ. | So many people are lining up; it seems we’ll have to wait for a long time. |
| 她考试都没复习，看来成绩不会太好。 | Tā kǎoshì dōu méi fùxí, kànlái chéngjì bú huì tài hǎo. | She didn’t review for the exam; it seems her results won’t be great. |
| 这个项目进展缓慢，看来要延期了。 | Zhège xiàngmù jìnzhǎn huǎnmàn, kànlái yào yánqī le. | The project is progressing slowly; it seems it will be delayed. |
| 今天的风很大，看来晚上会更冷。 | Jīntiān de fēng hěn dà, kànlái wǎnshàng huì gèng lěng. | The wind is strong today; it seems it will be even colder tonight. |
| 看来下个月才能完成任务。 | Kànlái xià gè yuè cái néng wánchéng rènwù. | It seems the task won’t be completed until next month. |
| 他在比赛中一直领先，看来他会赢。 | Tā zài bǐsài zhōng yìzhí lǐngxiān, kànlái tā huì yíng. | He’s been leading in the competition; it looks like he will win. |
| 孩子们已经睡了，看来可以放松一下了。 | Háizimen yǐjīng shuì le, kànlái kěyǐ fàngsōng yíxià le. | The kids are already asleep; it seems we can relax now. |
SUBJECTIVE JUDGMENTS WITH 看来
Here, 看来 is used to express a subjective judgment or personal opinion, often reflecting the speaker’s perspective.
看来他是个很有经验的医生。
It seems he’s a very experienced doctor.View More Examples:
| 看来你对这个问题很有自己的看法。 | Kànlái nǐ duì zhège wèntí hěn yǒu zìjǐ de kànfǎ. | It seems you have your own views on this issue. |
| 看来这家餐厅的服务很周到。 | Kànlái zhè jiā cāntīng de fúwù hěn zhōudào. | It seems this restaurant has very thoughtful service. |
| 看来这个计划有些不切实际。 | Kànlái zhège jìhuà yǒuxiē bù qiè shíjì. | It seems this plan is a bit unrealistic. |
| 看来他不太喜欢参加聚会。 | Kànlái tā bú tài xǐhuan cānjiā jùhuì. | It seems he doesn’t really like attending gatherings. |
| 看来这件事需要再仔细考虑一下。 | Kànlái zhè jiàn shì xūyào zài zǐxì kǎolǜ yíxià. | It seems this matter needs further consideration. |
| 看来你最近很喜欢运动。 | Kànlái nǐ zuìjìn hěn xǐhuan yùndòng. | It seems you’ve been enjoying exercising lately. |
| 看来这是个非常值得投资的项目。 | Kànlái zhè shì ge fēicháng zhídé tóuzī de xiàngmù. | It seems this is a very worthwhile investment project. |
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 看来 & 看起来
Both 看来 and 看起来 are used to express observations or judgments based on evidence, but they differ slightly in meaning and usage.
| Aspect | 看来 (kànlái) | 看起来 (kànqǐlái) |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | “It seems,” “It looks like,” often used to make conclusions or inferences based on reasoning or evidence. | “It looks like,” often used for physical appearances or superficial impressions. |
| Tone | More subjective, based on reasoning or logical deduction. | More objective, based on visible or sensory impressions. |
| Usage context | Often refers to abstract or situational judgments. | Often refers to physical appearance or sensory impressions. |
| Grammatical structure | Used before clauses to introduce a conclusion or inference. | Commonly used before adjectives or descriptive phrases. |
Examples of 看来:
| 他迟到了一个小时，看来路上有问题。 | Tā chídào le yí ge xiǎoshí, kànlái lùshàng yǒu wèntí. | He’s an hour late; it seems there’s a problem on the road. |
| 看来我们需要更多的时间准备。 | Kànlái wǒmen xūyào gèng duō de shíjiān zhǔnbèi. | It seems we need more time to prepare. |
| 她对这个工作很感兴趣，看来她会接受。 | Tā duì zhège gōngzuò hěn gǎn xìngqù, kànlái tā huì jiēshòu. | She’s very interested in this job; it seems she will accept it. |
| 他们已经开始讨论细节了，看来合作没问题。 | Tāmen yǐjīng kāishǐ tǎolùn xìjié le, kànlái hézuò méi wèntí. | They’ve started discussing details; it seems the collaboration will work out fine. |
Examples of 看起来:
| 她看起来很累，可能昨晚没睡好。 | Tā kànqǐlái hěn lèi, kěnéng zuówǎn méi shuì hǎo. | She looks very tired; maybe she didn’t sleep well last night. |
| 这件衣服看起来很漂亮。 | Zhè jiàn yīfu kànqǐlái hěn piàoliang. | This piece of clothing looks very pretty. |
| 他看起来比实际年龄年轻。 | Tā kànqǐlái bǐ shíjì niánlíng niánqīng. | He looks younger than his actual age. |
| 这个房间看起来很宽敞明亮。 | Zhège fángjiān kànqǐlái hěn kuānchǎng míngliàng. | This room looks very spacious and bright. |
SUMMARY
In this lesson, we explored the usage of 看来 in Chinese, focusing on its meaning, different contexts, and how it differs from 看起来.
1. Basic usage of 看来
看来 is used to introduce conclusions or inferences based on evidence or reasoning.
It conveys the idea of it seems or it looks like and is often used to express the speaker’s subjective observation or judgment.
天气这么阴，看来要下雨了。
The weather is so gloomy; it looks like it’s going to rain.2. Inferring outcomes with 看来
看来 is also used to infer possible outcomes or future situations based on the current circumstances.
这么多人排队，看来要等很久。
So many people are lining up; it seems we’ll have to wait for a long time.3. Expressing subjective judgments with 看来
In this usage, 看来 conveys a subjective judgment based on the speaker’s personal observation or perspective.
看来你对这个问题很有自己的看法。
It seems you have your own views on this issue.4. Difference between 看来 and 看起来
看来 is used for logical conclusions or abstract judgments, often based on reasoning, while 看起来 is more commonly used to describe physical appearances or sensory impressions.
| Example with 看来 |
他迟到了一个小时，看来路上有问题。
Tā chídào le yí ge xiǎoshí, kànlái lùshàng yǒu wèntí. He’s an hour late; it seems there’s a problem on the road. |
| Example with 看起来 |
她看起来很累，可能昨晚没睡好。
Tā kànqǐlái hěn lèi, kěnéng zuówǎn méi shuì hǎo. She looks very tired; maybe she didn’t sleep well last night. |
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FAQs
What does 看来 mean, and how is it used?
看来 means “it seems” or “it looks like” and is used to express an assessment or conclusion based on observations.
What difference between 看来 and 看起来?
看来 expresses a general conclusion, while 看起来 focuses more on physical appearance or first impressions.
Can 看来 be used at the beginning of a phrase?
Yes! It often introduces a conclusion, like:
看来今天会下雨。
It looks like it will rain today.
Is 看来 formal or informal?
看来 is neutral and can be used in both spoken and written Chinese. However, more formal alternatives include 显然 (obviously) or 可见 (it is evident).
Can 看来 express speculation or uncertainty?
Yes! It suggests a judgment based on available information, like:
看来他不太想参加这个活动。
It seems he doesn’t really want to join this event.
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