凝视 (níng shì) — to gaze at; to stare intently at | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

凝视 means to gaze fixedly, with quiet, focused attention — more literary and contemplative than 盯 (which can feel aggressive). 注视 is similar but more neutral and observational.

verb

to gaze atto stare intently at

Examples

，凝视。
Tā zhàn zài chuāng qián, mò mò de níng shì zhe yuǎn fāng de shān.
She stood by the window, silently gazing at the mountains in the distance.
凝视，。
níng shì Zhè fú huà, nǐ jiù néng gǎn shòu dào huà jiā de qíng gǎn.
Gaze at this painting and you can feel the artist's emotions.
凝视，。
Tā hū rán níng shì zhe wǒ, yí jù huà yě bù shuō.
He suddenly stared at me without saying a word.

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.

凝 gives fixed attention and 视 is looking, giving an intense gaze.

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.

冫疑凝

Meaning part形符xíngfú

冫Written in full as仌bīngice

Sound part声符shēngfú

疑

疑yí凝níng

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

凝 pairs 冫 (ice, also written 仌) with 疑, which gives the sound.

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Senses

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