俯视 fǔshì to overlook
to overlook; to look down at
How to remember 俯视: 俯 to bow down + 视 look at = to overlook.
Characters
How it is used
- To look down at something from above - 从山顶俯视全城 (cóng shāndǐng fǔshì quánchéng) look down over the whole city from the summit.
- The 俯 (bend down) means the gaze goes downward from a height; opposite is 仰视 (yǎngshì, to look up at) - 仰视星空 (yǎngshì xīngkōng) look up at the starry sky.
- Somewhat literary/technical (俯视图, top-down view/plan). Everyday speech often uses 往下看 instead.