目 meaning and stroke order
Eye; to look, to see; division, topic
How to write 目, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 目
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- eye
- (literary) to look; to regard
- eye (of a net); mesh
- mesh size; grit size (abbr. for 目數|目数[mu4 shu4])
- item; section
- list; catalogue
How 目 is built
Pictographic character. An eye drawn on its side.
How to remember 目
目 (mù) is a picture of an eye drawn on its side and then turned upright. The outer box is the eye and the two lines inside are the pupil and lids, so picture an eye standing on end.
In modern speech 目 rarely appears alone for "eye". People say 眼睛 (yǎnjing) instead, but 目 lives on in many common words like 目的, 目标, 节目 and 项目, often with the sense of "item" or "goal". Example: 我们的目标是明年完成这个项目。(Wǒmen de mùbiāo shì míngnián wánchéng zhège xiàngmù.) Our goal is to finish this project next year.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 目 (mù) with 日 (rì, sun), which has only one line inside, and with 自 (zì, self), which has an extra stroke on top. Count the inner lines: 目 has two.
Common words with 目
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 目的 | mùdì | purpose; aim; goal; target; objective | HSK 2 |
| 节目 | jiémù | (TV or radio) program; show; item; act; segment; number (on the program of a concert, vari | HSK 2 |
| 目标 | mùbiāo | target; goal | HSK 3 |
| 目前 | mùqián | at the present time; currently | HSK 3 |
| 题目 | tímù | subject; title; topic; exercise or exam question (CL:道[dao4]) | HSK 3 |
| 项目 | xiàngmù | item; project; (sports) event | HSK 4 |
| 目光 | mùguāng | gaze; (fig.) attention; expression in one's eyes; look | HSK 5 |
| 数目 | shùmù | amount; number | HSK 5 |
| 栏目 | lánmù | regular column or segment (in a publication or broadcast program); program (TV or radio) | HSK 6 |
| 目的地 | mùdìdì | destination (location) | HSK 7-9 |
| 目睹 | mùdǔ | to witness; to see at first hand | HSK 7-9 |
| 盲目 | mángmù | (fig.) (of one's actions) blind; unthinking | HSK 7-9 |
| 心目 | xīnmù | mind | HSK 7-9 |
| 目录 | mùlù | catalog; table of contents | HSK 7-9 |
目 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 目
Learning 目 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 目
How many strokes are in 目?
目 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 目 mean?
目 (mù) means eye; to look, to see; division, topic. A common word with it is 目的 (mùdì), meaning "purpose; aim; goal; target; objective".
How do you pronounce 目?
目 is pronounced mù, in the fourth tone (falling).
Is 目 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 目 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
Can I use 目 by itself to say "eye" in everyday Chinese?
Usually not. In daily conversation say 眼睛 (yǎnjing). 目 alone sounds literary and appears mainly in idioms and fixed words like 目光 (mùguāng), gaze.
What is the difference between 目的 and 目标?
目的 (mùdì) is the purpose or reason behind an action, while 目标 (mùbiāo) is a concrete target you aim to reach. For example, 学习的目的 is why you study, and 考试目标 is the score you want.