泪眼 (lèi yǎn) — tearful eyes | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary/书面 word for 'eyes brimming with tears', often used in writing to describe an emotional gaze. More elevated than everyday 眼泪 (the tears themselves).

noun

tearful eyes

Examples

泪眼，。
Tā lèi yǎn wàng zhe yuǎn fāng, shuō bù chū huà lái.
She looked into the distance with tearful eyes, unable to speak.
，泪眼。
Kàn dào zhè fēng xìn, tā lèi yǎn mó hu le.
Seeing this letter, his tearful eyes blurred.
泪眼。
Lǎo rén lèi yǎn zhōng chōng mǎn le gǎn jī.
The old man's tearful eyes were full of gratitude.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

泪 'tears' and 眼 'eyes' combine as eyes filled with tears.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 淚; 泪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

戾

戾lì淚lèi

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 淚 uses 水 (water) and 戾 for sound; this describes 淚, not 泪.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

目艮眼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

目目mùeye

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

艮gèn眼yǎn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

眼 combines 目, which is an eye, with 艮, which gives the character's sound.

Appears in

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