Where Have I Seen 観?

観 (KAN, mi(ru), shime(su): outlook, look, appearance, condition, view)

As you may have noticed, 見 (mi(ru): to see) pops up inside 観. Sharing the yomi of mi(ru), as well as related meanings, these characters must be distant cousins.

You may be wondering where you’ve seen 観 before. Perhaps you encountered it in 観光 (kankō: sightseeing, view + scenery) or in its spinoff words:

観光地 (kankōchi: sightseeing area)
      view + scenery + place
観光客 (kankōkyaku: tourist)
      view + scenery + spectator

You might also have run across 観 in these words:

観測 (kansoku: observation)     view + to observe
観点 (kanten: point of view)      view + point
観劇 (kangeki: theater-going)     to observe + drama

Also, -観 is a suffix meaning “view, conception, theory,” as in the following:

価値観 (kachikan: values)     value + value + view
主観 (shukan: subjectivity)     subject + view
楽観 (rakkan: optimism)     easy + view
悲観 (hikan: pessimism)     sad + view

I adore this compound for its simple logic! I like the previous word, too, and I wanted to define 楽 as “pleasurable” (since optimism is a pleasurable feeling), but two dictionaries have the meaning of 楽 in 楽観 as “easy.”

先入観 (sennyūkan: preconception, bias, prejudice)
     before + to enter + view
人生観 (jinseikan: outlook on life)
     person + life + view
世界観 (sekaikan: worldview, outlook on the world)
     world + world + view

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