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虎视眈眈 (hǔ shì dān dān) — (idiom) to glare with hostile or covetous intent; (idiom) to eye something fiercely and eagerly

Definition

A vivid 成语 for glaring at something with predatory, covetous intent — eyes 'tiger-like and watchful'. Used in formal/written prose for hostile rivals or greedy schemers eyeing a target.

idiom
to glare with hostile or covetous intentto eye something fiercely and eagerly

Examples

  • 虎视眈眈，。
    Dí rén duì wǒ men hǔ shì dān dān, wǒ men bì xū tí gāo jǐng tì.
    The enemy is glowering at us; we must increase our vigilance.
  • 虎视眈眈，。
    Tā duì nà kuài jīn biǎo hǔ shì dān dān, yǎn shén lǐ quán shì tān lán.
    He was eyeing that gold watch covetously, his gaze full of greed.
  • 虎视眈眈。
    Nà jiā gōng sī yì zhí duì wǒ men de shì chǎng fèn é hǔ shì dān dān.
    That company has been eying our market share with predatory intent.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

虎 originally drew a tiger's head. Its body disappeared, and the legs and tail became the lower part.

Open 虎 →

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 視; 视 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
見見jiànsee
Sound part声符shēngfú
示
示shì視shì
Same sound today

The story is about the traditional form 視: it combines 見, meaning see, with 示, which gives the sound shì.

Open 视 →

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
冘
冘yóu眈
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

眈 combines 目 (eye) with 冘, which provides the sound.

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
冘
冘yóu眈
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

眈 combines 目 (eye) with 冘, which provides the sound.

Appears in
Conflict & AgreementIdioms & Set Phrases

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