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瞪眼 (dèng yǎn) — to stare with wide eyes (as a sign of anger or threat); to glare at someone; to glower

Definition

A verb-object phrase meaning 'to glare' — eyes wide and fixed on someone, showing anger or threat. Often used with 看着 or as 瞪了…一眼.

verb
to stare with wide eyes (as a sign of anger or threat)to glare at someoneto glower

Examples

  • 瞪眼。
    Tā shēng qì dì dèng yǎn kàn zhe wǒ.
    He stared at me angrily.
  • 。
    Tā dèng le wǒ yì yǎn jiù zǒu le.
    She gave me a glare and left.
  • 瞪眼，。
    Bié lǎo gēn rén dèng yǎn, yǒu huà hǎo hǎo shuō.
    Don't keep glaring at people; if you have something to say, say it nicely.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

瞪dèngstare
眼yǎneye

The glare and eye senses combine to mean staring with the eyes wide open.

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
目目mùeye
Sound part声符shēngfú
登
登dēng瞪dèng
Same sound today

瞪 pairs 目, an eye, with 登, which gives the sound.

Open 瞪 →

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
Body PartsEmotions & Feelings

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