睁 meaning and stroke order
To open (one's eyes)
How to write 睁, 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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Meaning of 睁
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to open (one's eyes)
How 睁 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Eye.
目 gives the meaning and 争 hints at the sound.
Radical: 目 (eye), shared by 100 characters on this site.
How to remember 睁
睁 combines 目 (eye) with 争 (zhēng), which gives the sound. Picture your eye 目 fighting 争 to stay open when you wake up in the morning.
睁 is almost always used with eyes, most often in 睁开 (zhēngkāi) or 睁眼 (zhēngyǎn). The set phrase 眼睁睁 (yǎnzhēngzhēng) means watching something happen without being able to stop it. Example: 他睁开眼睛看了看我。(Tā zhēngkāi yǎnjing kàn le kàn wǒ.) He opened his eyes and looked at me.
Common mistake: Learners often write 挣 (zhèng, to struggle or earn) or 争 (zhēng, to compete) instead of 睁, because they share the same sound part. If it is about eyes, use the 目 side. Also, do not use 开 alone for eyes. Say 睁开眼睛, not 开眼睛.
Common words with 睁
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
睁 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 睁
How many strokes are in 睁?
睁 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 睁 mean?
睁 (zhēng) means to open (one's eyes). A common word with it is 眼睁睁 (yǎnzhēngzhēng), meaning "to stare blankly; to look on helplessly".
How do you pronounce 睁?
睁 is pronounced zhēng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 睁?
The radical of 睁 is 目, which carries the idea of "eye". Dictionaries list 睁 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 睁?
The traditional form of 睁 is 睜. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 睁 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 睁 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 睁 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the opposite of 睁 for eyes?
The opposite is 闭 (bì), to close. You say 闭上眼睛 (bìshàng yǎnjing) for closing your eyes, and 睁开眼睛 for opening them.
Can 睁 be used for opening things other than eyes?
No, 睁 is used only for eyes. For doors, books or boxes you use 开 (kāi) or 打开 (dǎkāi), and for the mouth you use 张 (zhāng), as in 张嘴.