Difference between 见面 vs 看

[stevenjac]

I heard 看 can also be used as for meet? But what's the difference?

[abcdefg]

My personal opinion, with which others might disagree, is that the best way to get a handle on things such as this is to flood yourself with many example sentences of how the two words are used in actual practice by native speakers. I think that's more helpful than trying to learn and remember an artificial rule designed to assist beginning language learners.

 

Over time, and with enough exposure, you will gradually develop an ear for which one is most appropriate in which situations. As an example, one of my friends usually sends me a text asking if it's convenient to come over and see me. By "see" she doesn't mean "look at" or "visually perceive." Instead she is asking about visiting or meeting, which is immediately obvious given the context.

 

我明天过来看你，好不好？

[vellocet]

I always viewed it as "go to see" or used 去看 but I'm not an expert like most people here.  

[Wurstmann]

 

 

My personal opinion, with which others might disagree, is that the best way to get a handle on things such as this is to flood yourself with many example sentences of how the two words are used in actual practice by native speakers. I think that's more helpful than trying to learn and remember an artificial rule designed to assist beginning language learners.

 

I agree. Just learn the general meaning of a word. The differences to similar words will get clear if you read, listen to and watch a lot of native material and talk to Chinese people.

[Demonic_Duck]

见面 is a little more formal, often for first meetings. 看 is typically for people you've met before.

Also, 看 is a verb, whereas 见面 is a verb-object construction. You can say 我要去看她 , but not 我要去见面她 (only 我要去和她见面 or 我要去见她一面).

[Athena_zZ]

To be brief, 见面 is to meet, 看 is to visit. One can 去看 friends and families. In contrast to that, when you say two people 见面 (literally meaning "to see someone's face"), you're basically saying they never met each other before, such as a potential trade partners, new teammates, online pals.

Also, as DDuck said, 见面 also emphasizes on beingface to face with someone:

这是个误会。我必须见他一面。

We are having a misunderstanding. I must meet with him (to explain personally).

我想在临走前再见她一面。

I want to see her one one time before I leave.