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眩 (xuàn) — dizzy; dazzled; bewildered (bound form, used in compounds)

Definition

A bound morpheme meaning 'dazzled / dizzy' that only appears in compounds like 眩晕, 眩目, 眩惑 — it is never used as a standalone word.

bound form
dizzydazzledbewildered (bound form, used in compounds)

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā gǎn dào yí zhèn xuàn yùn, chà diǎn shuāi dǎo.
    He felt a wave of dizziness and almost fell.
  • 眩。
    Wǔ tái shàng de dēng guāng shí fēn xuàn mù.
    The stage lights were very dazzling.
  • 眩。
    Tā de huà ràng wǒ xuàn huò bù jiě.
    His words left me bewildered and puzzled.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
玄
玄xuán眩xuàn
Same sound today

The 目 part shows it is about the eye; 玄 provides the sound.

Appears in
Illness & Symptoms

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