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眼里 (yǎn lǐ) — within one's sight; in one's field of vision; in someone's view or perception; as someone sees it

Definition

Means 'in someone's eyes / view' — how a person perceives or judges someone or something. It's the literal/physical 'within one's sight' reading is rare; the idiom-like 'in one's view' sense is what you'll meet.

noun
within one's sightin one's field of visionin someone's view or perceptionas someone sees it

Examples

  • 眼里？
    Nǐ yǎn lǐ hái yǒu méi yǒu wǒ zhè ge péng you?
    Do you still see me as a friend in your eyes?
  • 眼里，。
    Tā dōu bǎ zhè shì kàn zài yǎn lǐ, bù shuō ér yǐ.
    He has taken note of this matter in his eyes, just doesn't say it.
  • 眼里，。
    Zài bié rén yǎn lǐ, tā shì gè chéng gōng de rén.
    In other people's eyes, he is a successful person.

Origin

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 裡; 里 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 里 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (里, 里面) it is 裡; in others (公里) it is 里 or 裏.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ裡lǐ
Same sound today

The form 裡 pairs 衤 (clothes) with 里 as a sound component.

Open 里 →
Appears in
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