Meaning and Usage
The verb 見える (みえる) primarily means "to be visible" or "to be able to see." It is used when something can be seen naturally or appears to the eyes without effort. It also has a secondary meaning related to appearance or impression, such as "looks like" or "seems."
Common Contexts
- Literal visibility: describing something physically visible, e.g., a mountain, sea, or object.
- Appearance or impression: describing how someone or something looks or seems to others, often based on observation.
Collocations and Patterns
- 見える + noun: to be visible (e.g., 海が見える - the sea is visible)
- ～ように見える: to look like, to seem (e.g., 疲れているように見える - looks tired)
- 遠くから見ると～見える: when seen from afar, it looks...
Register and Nuance
見える is neutral and commonly used in everyday conversation and writing. It is less formal than 観える (also read みえる), which is used in more poetic or artistic contexts.
Common Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 見える with 見る (to see, to look). 見える is intransitive and describes something being visible or appearing, while 見る is transitive and means actively looking at something.