耀目 (yào mù) — to dazzle; to be dazzling

Definition

A literary verb meaning 'to dazzle' — used for strong light or striking brilliance, more written/formal than 晃眼 (HSK 7) or 刺眼 (harsh on the eyes). Often appears as the set modifier 耀目的 + noun ('dazzling…').

verb
to dazzleto be dazzling

Examples

  • 耀目。
    Wǔ tái shàng de dēng guāng fēi cháng yào mù.
    The lights on the stage were very dazzling.
  • 。
    Tā de cái huá yào le zhòng rén de mù.
    His talent dazzled everyone.
  • 耀目。
    yào mù Dì yáng guāng ràng rén zhēng bù kāi yǎn.
    The dazzling sunlight made it impossible to open one's eyes.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

耀yàoshine
目mùeye

耀 means to shine or dazzle, 目 means eye; together describe something dazzling the eyes.

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
光光guānglight; beam; ray
Sound part声符shēngfú
翟
翟zhái耀yào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

耀 has 光 (light; beam; ray) beside 翟, and 翟 gives the sound.

Open 耀 →

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

目 began as a drawing of a human eye, turned sideways.

Open 目 →

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