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针眼 (zhēn yǎn) — eye of a needle; pinprick (tiny hole); stye (on the eyelid)

Definition

Literally 'needle eye,' 针眼 covers three meanings: the eye of a needle, a tiny pinprick hole, and a stye on the eyelid. The third sense (stye) is a common colloquial use that English speakers won't guess from the literal translation.

noun
eye of a needlepinprick (tiny hole)stye (on the eyelid)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 针眼，。
    Zhè gēn zhēn de zhēn yǎn tài xiǎo le, xiàn chuān bú guò qù.
    The eye of this needle is too small; the thread can't go through.
  • 针眼。
    Zhǐ shàng yǒu yí gè zhēn yǎn dà de dòng.
    There is a hole as small as a pinprick on the paper.
  • 针眼，。
    Tā cháng le zhēn yǎn, suǒ yǐ yǎn jing zhǒng le.
    He got a stye, so his eye is swollen.

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.

针zhēnneedle
眼yǎneye

针 points to a needle, while 眼 gives its tiny eye or hole.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 針; 针 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
釒Written in full as金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
十
十shí針zhēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 針 puts 釒, the metal side, beside 十, which gives the sound; 针 is a simplified shorthand.

Open 针 →

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 →
Appears in
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