‘俯瞰’ is a verb meaning ‘to overlook’ or ‘to view from above’. It combines two characters: 俯 (fǔ), meaning ‘to bow down’ or ‘to bend forward’, and 瞰 (kàn), meaning ‘to look’ or ‘to survey’. Together, they evoke the image of leaning forward to gaze downward — capturing the physical and visual sense of observing a scene from a high vantage point, such as a mountain peak, skyscraper, or drone. The word emphasizes both height and perspective, often implying a broad, commanding, or even majestic view.

This term is commonly used in descriptive writing, travel narratives, geography, and photography. It appears frequently when describing cityscapes, natural landscapes, or architectural views. While it can be used literally (e.g., viewing a valley from a cliff), it sometimes carries a subtle connotation of superiority or detachment — so context matters. It’s more formal and literary than everyday alternatives like ‘看’ or ‘望’, and rarely used in casual speech.