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斜眼 (xié yǎn) — cross-eyed person; a sidelong glance (often implying disdain or suspicion)

Definition

As a noun, 斜眼 covers two senses: a medical condition (strabismus, a cross-eyed person) and a sidelong glance that signals disdain or suspicion. The reading is fixed — never xiéyǎn as a verb.

noun
cross-eyed persona sidelong glance (often implying disdain or suspicion)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 斜眼，。
    Tā xiǎo shí hou dé le xié yǎn, hòu lái zhì hǎo le.
    He had strabismus as a child and later got it cured.
  • 斜眼，。
    Tā tóu lái yí gè xié yǎn, ràng wǒ jué de hěn bú zì zài.
    She cast a sidelong glance, making me feel very uneasy.
  • 斜眼。
    Nà ge xié yǎn de hái zi xū yào dìng qī jiǎn chá yǎn jing.
    That cross-eyed child needs regular eye check-ups.

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.

斜xiéslanting
眼yǎneye

In 斜眼, 斜 describes 眼, giving a slanting eye or sidelong glance.

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
斗斗dòuladle/dipper
Sound part声符shēngfú
余
余yú斜xié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

斜 pairs 斗, a ladle or dipper, with 余 for sound; the idea of scooping or drawing out was extended to mean a slant.

Open 斜 →

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
AppearanceBody Parts

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