"Kàn zhǎng" literally means 'to look upward (in price)' — combining 看 (kàn, 'to look' or 'to view') and 涨 (zhǎng, 'to rise', especially in price or level). It is an adjective used exclusively in financial and economic contexts to describe a positive, rising market trend — equivalent to the English term 'bullish'. Unlike its literal meaning, it is not about physical looking but reflects an analytical outlook: investors or analysts say the market is 看涨 when they expect prices of stocks, real estate, commodities, or currencies to increase.

This term appears frequently in news reports, investment commentary, and business discussions. It often follows nouns like 市场 (market), 股市 (stock market), or 房价 (housing prices), and commonly pairs with verbs like 预期 (expect), 认为 (believe), or 显示 (indicate). While it originated in finance, it’s occasionally used metaphorically for non-market trends (e.g., demand for a skill), but such usage remains rare and informal.