眼眸 (yǎn móu) — eyes (poetic or literary register) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A literary/poetic word for 'eyes' (as a paired whole: 双, not the single eye). More elevated than 眼睛, used in writing or for emotional effect, not everyday speech.

noun

eyes (poetic or literary register)

Measure word · 双

Examples

眼眸。
Tā nà shuāng míng liàng de yǎn móu ràng wǒ nán yǐ wàng huái.
Those bright eyes of hers are hard for me to forget.
眼眸，。
Tā níng shì zhe tā de yǎn móu, fǎng fú yào kàn chuān tā de líng hún.
He gazed into her eyes as if trying to see through her soul.
眼眸。
Zhè shǒu gē chàng chū le liàn rén jiān de yǎn móu jiāo huì.
This song sings of the meeting of lovers' eyes.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

眼 and 眸 both refer to the eye, so together they form a poetic name for eyes or the pupil.

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.

目艮眼

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.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

目牟眸

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

牟

牟mù眸móu

Same sound today

The left part 目 is an eye, giving the meaning. The right part 牟 supplies the sound.

Appears in

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