Appearance with kànqǐlái and kànshangqu

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, both 看起來来 kànqǐlái and 看上去 kànshàngqùshangqu are expressions used to describe how something appears or looks. They are often employed in similar contexts, with subtle differences in their usage.

Ps. In my opinion, 看起來来 kànqǐlái is more commonly used in casual conversation, while 看上去 kànshàngqùshangqu more frequently appears in written forms. However, I can’t find any documents to support my theory.

看起來/看起来 kànqǐlái

看起來来 kànqílái conveys one’s subjective perception and judgment of how something or someone appears. This phrase is commonly employed when sharing personal impressions or making comments about the observed appearance of a subject.

kànqǐlái + Adj

他tā看起來kànqǐlái很hěn高興gāoxìng他tā看起来kànqǐlái很hěn高兴gāoxìng
He looks very happy.

老闆lǎobǎn的de臉色liǎnsè看起來kànqǐlái不太好bútàihǎo老板lǎobǎn的de脸色liǎnsè看起来kànqǐlái不太好bútàihǎo
The boss doesn’t look well.

你nǐ看起來kànqǐlái很hěn緊張jǐnzhāng， 怎麼zěnme了le嗎ma？ 你nǐ看起来kànqǐlái很hěn紧张jǐnzhāng， 怎么zěnme了le吗ma？
You look very nervous, what’s wrong?

你nǐ不bù覺得juéde那個nàge人rén看起來kànqǐlái很hěn眼熟yǎnshóu嗎ma？ 你nǐ不bù觉得juéde那个nàge人rén看起来kànqǐlái很hěn眼熟yǎnshú吗ma？
Don’t you think that person looks very familiar?

kànqǐlái + 像(是) xiàng(shì) + N

他tā看起來kànqǐlái像xiàng你nǐ哥哥gēge不像búxiàng你nǐ弟弟dìdi他tā看起来kànqǐlái像xiàng你nǐ哥哥gēge不像búxiàng你nǐ弟弟dìdi
He looks like your older brother, not your younger brother.

你nǐ拍pāi的de照片zhàopiàn真zhēn美měi， 看起來kànqǐlái就jiù像xiàng是shì一張yìzhāng明信片míngxìnpiàn你nǐ拍pāi的de照片zhàopiàn真zhēn美měi， 看起来kànqǐlái就jiù像xiàng是shì一张yìzhāng明信片míngxìnpiàn
The photos you took are really beautiful; they look just like postcards.

這zhè網站wǎngzhàn很hěn有用yǒuyòng， 像是xiàngshì一個yíge中文zhōngwén百科全書bǎikēquánshū这zhè网站wǎngzhàn很hěn有用yǒuyòng， 像是xiàngshì一个yíge中文zhōngwén百科全书bǎikēquánshū
This website is very useful; it’s like a Chinese language encyclopedia.

這zhè位wèi叫jiào「 八寶公主Bābǎogōngzhǔ」 的de台灣Táiwān神明shénmíng看起來kànqǐlái像xiàng是shì外國人wàiguórén这zhè位wèi叫jiào“ 八宝公主Bābǎogōngzhǔ“ 的de台湾Táiwān神明shénmíng看起来kànqǐlái像xiàng是shì外国人wàiguórén
This Taiwanese deity named “Princess of the Eight Treasures” looks like a foreigner.

Story of Princess of the Eight Treasures
During the Japanese colonial era in Taiwan, in the area of Kenting, a worker named Mr. Zhang stumbled upon a set of human bones while collecting coral stones. He decided to collect the bones and placed them in a jar, ultimately enshrining them in the Wan Ying Temple. However, a few years later, strange occurrences began to plague the region. There were reports of ghostly disturbances, and a man inexplicably went insane and set fire to a house.
In response to these mysterious events, the local residents sought the help of a spiritual medium or “Jitong” to communicate with the spirit world. To their astonishment, when the medium entered a trance-like state, they spoke in fluent foreign languages. With the assistance of translators, it was revealed that the spirit belonged to a Dutch princess who had been killed in Taiwan a century earlier. Her spirit had been unable to find a way back home due to the absence of a ship.
To help the Dutch princess find peace, the locals decided to perform a ritual in which they burned a paper ship. After the ritual, the man who had gone insane began to show signs of improvement.
However, the story took a further twist when the man’s condition worsened again. Perplexed, the residents summoned the Jitong once more, and the spirit of the Dutch princess revealed that she had returned. This time, she expressed her desire to remain in Kenting, asking for a third of the land belonging to the Wan Ying Temple.
In response, a small house was constructed next to the temple, and the bones of the Dutch princess were relocated there for worship. A female Jitong claimed that the princess’s name should be “Princess Eight Treasures,” which led to the shrine being known as the Eight Treasures Temple.

看上去 kànshàngqù / kànshangqu

看上去 kànshàngqùshangqu is an alternative expression for describing the appearance of something, but it leans towards a more objective and evidence-based assessment compared to 看起來来 kànqílái. It implies that something appears a certain way based on observable or external factors and is frequently used when describing situations, appearances, or circumstances.

kànshangqu + Adj or V

這zhè天氣tiānqì看上去kànshàngqù快kuài下雨xiàyǔ了le这zhè天气tiānqì看上去kànshangqu快kuài下雨xiàyǔ了le
It looks like it’s going to rain soon.

10 年nián沒méi回來huílái， 老家lǎojiā看上去kànshàngqù都dōu不一樣bùyíyàng了le10 年nián没méi回来huílái， 老家lǎojiā看上去kànshangqu都dōu不一样bùyíyàng了le
t’s been 10 years since I last came back, and the hometown looks different now.

父母fùmǔ看kàn上去shàngqù也yě老lǎo了le很多hěnduō， 頭髮tóufǎ都dōu白bái了le父母fùmǔ看kàn上去shàngqù也yě老lǎo了le很多hěnduō， 头发tóufà都dōu白bái了le
My parents also look much older; their hair has turned white.

看上去kànshàngqù那nà輛liàng車chē被bèi撞zhuàng壞huài了le看上去kànshangqu那nà辆liàng车chē被bèi撞zhuàng坏huài了le
It looks like that car has been damaged in a collision.

這zhè地方dìfāng看上去kànshàngqù已經yǐjīng很久hěnjiǔ沒méi人rén來lái過guò了le这zhè地方dìfang看上去kànshangqu已经yǐjīng很久hěnjiǔ没méi人rén来lái过guò了le
It looks like nobody has visited this place for a long time.

看上去kànshàngqù他tā是shì真的zhēnde不知道bùzhīdào這zhè件jiàn事shì看上去kànshangqu他tā是shì真的zhēnde不知道bùzhīdào这zhè件jiàn事shì
It looks like he genuinely doesn’t know about this.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ You look angry.

你nǐ看起來kànqǐlái很hěn生氣shēngqì你nǐ看起来kànqǐlái很hěn生气shēngqì

✔️ Do you think I look like a bad person?

你nǐ覺得juéde我wǒ看起來kànqǐlái像xiàng壞人huàirén嗎ma？ 你nǐ觉得juéde我wǒ看起来kànqǐlái像xiàng坏人huàirén吗ma？

✔️ From your appearance and expression, it doesn’t look very much like a good person.

從cóng你的nǐde外表wàibiǎo跟gēn表情biǎoqíng看上去kànshàngqù是shì不太像bútàixiàng好人hǎorén从cóng你的nǐde外表wàibiǎo跟gēn表情biǎoqíng看上去kànshangqu是shì不太像bútàixiàng好人hǎorén