Recognize 見 in everyday Japanese and connect its meanings, see and show, with whole words in context.

The idea

Compare 見る（みる） and 見せる（みせる） in the table: a character can have different readings in different words. 見 has 7 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
見るみるsee; look at; watch
見せるみせるshow
意見いけんopinion
花見はなみcherry-blossom viewing

Examples

  • 私わたしは窓まどから海うみを見みます。I look at the sea from the window.
  • 夜よる、家いえで映画えいがを見みます。I watch a film at home in the evening.
  • この写真しゃしんを母ははに見みせます。I show this photo to my mother.
  • 友達ともだちに地図ちずを見みせてください。Please show the map to your friend.
  • 先生せんせいに意見いけんを聞ききます。I ask the teacher for an opinion.
  • 春はるに公園こうえんで花見はなみをします。I go cherry-blossom viewing in the park in spring.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

見る（みる） is to see or watch; 見せる（みせる） is to show something to someone. 見 in 意見 is read けん, not み.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 見る in hiragana.

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    みる

    見る is read みる; the complete word means see; look at; watch.

  2. Write the reading of 見せる in hiragana.

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    みせる

    見せる is read みせる; the complete word means show.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: 意＿（いけん）.

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    見

    見 completes 意見, read いけん; the complete word means opinion.

Use it today

Cover the table and write 見 from memory. Read 見る and 見せる aloud, then make a sentence and check its meaning against the examples.