Kijk

Kijk is a Dutch word with several related meanings and uses. It is the imperative form of the verb kijken, meaning to look or to watch, and is used to give a command or to attract attention: Kijk! or Kijk hier. It also functions as an interjection in everyday speech, roughly equivalent to "look" in English, for example when prompting someone to notice something.

In common phrases, kijk appears in variations such as "kijk eens" or "kijk uit" (watch out), and as the root for related nouns and adjectives, including "kijkje" (a peek) and "kijker" (viewer). The compound forms derive from the same root and express related ideas of seeing, watching, or looking.

Linguistically, kijk is of Germanic origin and is used throughout the Dutch-speaking world. It has a cognate in Afrikaans: kyk, which carries the same meanings and functions in similar contexts.

Usage notes: as a stand-alone word, kijk is most often encountered in speech or in writing that reflects spoken Dutch. In formal writing, it appears as part of verb forms (kijk, kijkt, keek, kijken) rather than as a noun. The word also features in headlines and colloquial expressions to convey immediacy or emphasis.

See also: kijken, kijker, kijkje, kyk (Afrikaans).