Definition
盯 (dīng) means to stare fixedly at something, often with concentration or suspicion — it's a sharp, unbroken gaze. It's more intense than 注视 (zhùshì, formal attentive watching) and less emotional than 瞪 (dèng, glaring in anger). 凝视 (níngshì) is a deep, thoughtful gaze, while 瞅 (chǒu) is a casual dialectal glance.
verb
to stare atto fix one's attention onto gaze at
Easily confused
- 可kělook-alike(adverb) used for emphasis: really, certainly, very
- 定dìngsound-aliketo set, to determine, to fix (a time, plan, rule, etc.)
- 打dǎlook-aliketo hit, strike, beat
- 顶dǐngsound-alike(noun) top, apex, crown of the head
- 钉dìnglook-aliketo nail, to pin, to staple (fasten by driving a pointed object)
- 订dìngsound-aliketo order (goods, tickets, food, etc.), to book
- 丁dīngsound-alikefourth in a series (grade D, fourth Heavenly Stem, etc.)
Examples
- 盯，。Māma dīng zhe háizi chīfàn de yàngzi, liǎnshàng lùchū wēixiào.Mom stared at the child eating, a smile appearing on her face.
- ，盯，。Kǎoshì shí, tā jǐnzhāng de dīng zhe tímù, xiǎng le hěn jiǔ.During the exam, he nervously stared at the questions and thought for a long time.
- 盯，。Nà zhī māo yìzhí dīng zhe qiáng shàng de xiǎo dòng, hǎoxiàng fāxiàn le shénme.That cat kept staring at the small hole in the wall, as if it had found something.
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