难看
HSK 3 (exam 2025)HSK 2 (2021)
难看 (nánkàn) · ugly
难看 (nánkàn) means “ugly”. It is written with 2 characters: 难 (difficult) + 看 (to look). It is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 难看 is built
The characters
难 nán · difficult
What 难 is made of
- 又yòu — and
- 隹zhuī — short-tailed bird
- 亻rén — person
Origin hint: A hand 又 trying to grasp at a bird 隹 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
看 kàn · to look
What 看 is made of
- 手shǒu — hand
- 目mù — eye
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 二 — two strokes
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 口kǒu — mouth
Origin hint: Shielding one's eyes 目 with a hand 手 to look to the distance (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
这件衣服很难看。Zhè jiàn yīfu hěn nánkàn.This piece of clothing is ugly.
他的字难看吗？Tā de zì nánkàn ma?Is his handwriting ugly?
Questions about 难看
What does 难看 mean?
难看 (nánkàn) means “ugly”.
How do you pronounce 难看?
难看 is pronounced nánkàn.
Which HSK level is 难看?
难看 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021).
Related words
- 难过nánguòsad
- 难受nánshòuto feel unwell
- 难题nántídifficult problem
- 难听nántīngunpleasant to hear
- 困难kùnnandifficulty
- 难道nándàocould it be that…?
- 难度nándùdifficulty
- 难免nánmiǎnhard to avoid
- 难怪nánguàino wonder
- 艰难jiānnándifficult
Learn 难看 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 4: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.