眼底 (yǎn dǐ) — (anatomy) fundus of the eye; (figurative, literary) in one's sight; before one's eyes; (the expression) in one's eyes

Definition

Literary noun meaning 'fundus of the eye' (the back interior) in medical use, and figuratively 'in one's eyes / before one's sight' in writing. In the figurative sense it reads like 眼里 but more formal.

noun
(anatomy) fundus of the eye(figurative, literary) in one's sightbefore one's eyes(the expression) in one's eyes

Examples

  • 眼底，。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá le tā de yǎn dǐ, méi yǒu fā xiàn wèn tí.
    The doctor examined his fundus and found no problem.
  • ，眼底。
    Zhàn zài shān dǐng, yǎn dǐ de fēng guāng jìn shōu yǎn dǐ.
    Standing on the mountaintop, the scenery before his eyes was completely captured.
  • 眼底。
    Tā yǎn dǐ shǎn guò yì sī bú yì chá jué de xiào yì.
    A hint of a smile flashed in his eyes that was hard to detect.

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.

眼yǎneye
底dǐbottom

眼 specifies the eye, and 底 gives the bottom area, hence the fundus.

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.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
广广guǎngbuilding
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī底dǐ
Same sound today

底 pairs 广 (building) with 氐, pointing to the bottom or foundation of a building. Some read 氐 as a bowing figure or tree root, adding a sense of 'down'.

Open 底 →

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