关注 (guān zhù) is a verb meaning 'to pay attention to' or 'to follow'—especially in modern contexts like social media, news, or personal interests. The character 关 (guān) means 'to close' or 'to relate to', and 注 (zhù) means 'to pour', 'to focus', or 'to concentrate'; together, they evoke the idea of directing one’s mental energy toward something, like pouring attention onto a subject. It implies active interest rather than passive awareness.

This word is commonly used in both formal and informal settings: in journalism ('the public关注 this policy'), online platforms ('follow a WeChat account'), education ('teachers关注 students’ progress'), and daily life ('I关注 my friend’s travel photos'). It often appears with objects introduced by the particle 对 (duì), though the object may also appear directly after the verb. Unlike the more neutral 注意 (zhù yì), 关注 carries a sense of sustained, intentional engagement.