Definition
耳目 (ěr mù) is a noun with two distinct figurative meanings. It can refer to a person who acts as someone's eyes and ears — a spy, informant, or agent — often used in political or organizational contexts. It can also refer more abstractly to one's attention, awareness, or sources of information, as in the idiom 耳目一新 (ěr mù yī xīn, 'to find everything fresh and new'). The word always carries a figurative sense, never literally 'ears and eyes'.
n.
(fig.) spyinformantagent(fig.) attentionawareness(source of) information
Examples
- 耳目。Zhège zǔzhī li yǒu hěn duō dírén de ěr mù.There are many enemy informants within this organization.
- ，。Huí guó yǐhòu, yíqiè dōu ràng wǒ gǎndào ěr mù yì xīn.After returning home, everything felt fresh and new to me.
- 耳目，。Jìzhě bìxū bǎochí ěr mù língtōng, cáinéng jíshí bàodào xīnwén.A journalist must keep well-informed in order to report news promptly.
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