观光

guān guāng

go sightseeing; visit; tour

HSK Level 6

Example Sentences

Synonyms

旅游 (lǚyóu)

travel

观光旅游 (guānguāng lǚyóu)

sightseeing tour

Antonyms

闭关 (bì guān)

seclude

隐居 (yǐn jū)

recluse

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 观光 (guānguāng) is composed of two characters: 观 (guān) and 光 (guāng). The character 观 originally meant "to look at" or "to observe", and was often used in the context of religious ceremonies or rituals. Over time, its meaning expanded to include "to visit" or "to tour", especially for the purpose of sightseeing or leisure. The character 光 (guāng) originally meant "light" or "brightness", and was often used in the context of the sun or other sources of illumination. However, it also developed a secondary meaning of "empty" or "vacant", which is why it is often used in the word 观光 to refer to the act of visiting a place for leisure or sightseeing, rather than for any specific purpose or activity.

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