火眼金睛 (huǒ yǎn jīn jīng) — (chengyu) sharp, discerning vision; the ability to see through deception or false appearances

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'fiery eyes, golden pupils' — the ability to see through lies and fakes, like the Monkey King. Use it for someone whose sharp judgment exposes deception.

idiom
(chengyu) sharpdiscerning visionthe ability to see through deception or false appearances

Examples

  • 火眼金睛，。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù yǒu huǒ yǎn jīn jīng, zǒng néng yì yǎn kàn chū shuí shì piàn zi.
    He has had penetrating insight since childhood and can always spot a liar at a glance.
  • 火眼金睛。
    Zhè ge gǔ dǒng zhuān jiā yòng tā de huǒ yǎn jīn jīng jiàn bié chū le yàn pǐn.
    This antique expert used his sharp eyes to identify the counterfeit.
  • ，火眼金睛。
    Bié xiǎng piàn wǒ, wǒ de huǒ yǎn jīn jīng kě bú shì bái liàn de.
    Don't try to fool me — I didn't train my golden eyes for nothing.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

火眼fire eyes
火huǒfire眼yǎneye
偏正Modifier + head
金睛gold pupil
金jīngold睛jīngpupil
偏正Modifier + head

火 and 金 give the image of intense, precious eyes and pupils, suggesting sharp vision that sees through deception.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

火 is a simple drawing of a fire, with flames shown rising upward.

Open 火 →

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

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.

Open 眼 →

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

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

Open 金 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
目目mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng睛⁰jīng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 目 is an eye, matching the meaning eyeball; the right part 青 gives the sound.

Open 睛 →

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