The word "看看" is formed through the morphological process of reduplication, where the single-character verb "看" (kàn), meaning "to look" or "to see", is simply repeated. This duplication creates a new, distinct lexical item that conveys a modified aspect of the original action, specifically implying a sense of brevity, tentativeness, or an attempt. The construction transforms the basic action into one that suggests "to take a quick look", "to have a glance", or "to try looking", where the repetition itself softens and abbreviates the perceived duration or intensity of the act.