眼 meaning and stroke order
Eye (CL:隻|只[zhi1],雙|双[shuang1]); (often used with 一[yi1]) a look; a glance; small hole
How to write 眼, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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- 11
Meaning of 眼
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- eye (CL:隻|只[zhi1],雙|双[shuang1])
- (often used with 一[yi1]) a look; a glance
- small hole
- (bound form) salient point
- classifier for wells, cave-dwellings etc
How 眼 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Eye.
目 gives the meaning and 艮 hints at the sound.
Radical: 目 (eye), shared by 100 characters on this site.
How to remember 眼
眼 (yǎn) puts the eye 目 on the left to give the meaning, and 艮 (gèn) on the right to hint at the sound. Picture an eye 目 standing next to its sound partner 艮, looking out at the world.
In everyday speech, "eye" is usually 眼睛 (yǎnjing), while 眼 alone appears in compounds like 眼镜 (yǎnjìng, glasses) and 亲眼 (qīnyǎn, with one's own eyes). With 一 it means a glance: 看一眼 (kàn yì yǎn) means to take a quick look. Example: 我亲眼看见了。(Wǒ qīnyǎn kànjiàn le.) I saw it with my own eyes.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse the right side 艮 with 良 (liáng), which has an extra dot on top, or mix up 眼 with 银 (yín, silver) and 很 (hěn), which share 艮. Remember that only 眼 has 目 on the left.
Common words with 眼
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 眼睛 | yǎnjing | eye | HSK 2 |
| 眼前 | yǎnqián | before one's eyes; now | HSK 3 |
| 眼镜 | yǎnjìng | spectacles; eyeglasses | HSK 4 |
| 眼泪 | yǎnlèi | tear; teardrop | HSK 4 |
| 眼里 | yǎnli | HSK 4 | |
| 眼光 | yǎnguāng | gaze; insight | HSK 5 |
| 眼看 | yǎnkàn | soon; in a moment | HSK 6 |
| 亲眼 | qīnyǎn | with one's own eyes; personally | HSK 6 |
| 眼神 | yǎnshén | expression or emotion showing in one's eyes; meaningful glance | HSK 7-9 |
| 一眼 | yīyǎn | a glance; a quick look | HSK 7-9 |
| 眼下 | yǎnxià | now; at present; (anatomy) subocular | HSK 7-9 |
| 眨眼 | zhǎyǎn | to blink; to wink | HSK 7-9 |
| 耀眼 | yàoyǎn | to dazzle; dazzling | HSK 7-9 |
| 字眼 | zìyǎn | wording | HSK 7-9 |
眼 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 眼
How many strokes are in 眼?
眼 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 眼 mean?
眼 (yǎn) means eye (CL:隻|只[zhi1],雙|双[shuang1]); (often used with 一[yi1]) a look; a glance; small hole. A common word with it is 眼睛 (yǎnjing), meaning "eye".
How do you pronounce 眼?
眼 is pronounced yǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 眼?
The radical of 眼 is 目, which carries the idea of "eye". Dictionaries list 眼 under this radical.
Is 眼 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 眼 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.
What is the difference between 眼 and 眼睛?
眼睛 (yǎnjing) is the normal word for the physical eye in conversation. 眼 is more often a building block in words, or used after a number as in 看一眼 (take a look). The 睛 in 眼睛 is usually said in the neutral tone.
How is 眼 used as a classifier?
眼 can count wells and cave dwellings, as in 一眼井 (yì yǎn jǐng, one well). This use is somewhat formal or regional, so you will see it more in writing than in daily talk.