睨 meaning and stroke order
To glare at, to look askance, to squint
How to write 睨, stroke by stroke
13 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 睨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to look askance at
How 睨 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Eye.
目 gives the meaning and 兒 hints at the sound.
Radical: 目 (eye), shared by 100 characters on this site.
How to remember 睨
睨 has the eye 目 on the left, which tells you it is about looking. The right side 兒 gives the sound, so picture an eye turned sideways to give someone a cold, sideways glance.
睨 (nì) is a literary character. You meet it mostly in written Chinese, classical texts and set phrases, not in everyday speech. The best-known phrase is 睥睨 (pìnì), meaning to look down on others with disdain, as in 他睥睨一切。(Tā pìnì yíqiè.) He looks down on everything.
Common mistake: Learners often read 睨 as ér or ní because of the 兒 component, but the correct reading is nì with the fourth tone. Do not confuse it with 倪 (ní), a surname written with the person radical 亻 instead of the eye 目.
Questions about 睨
How many strokes are in 睨?
睨 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 睨 mean?
睨 (nì) means to glare at, to look askance, to squint.
How do you pronounce 睨?
睨 is pronounced nì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 睨?
The radical of 睨 is 目, which carries the idea of "eye". Dictionaries list 睨 under this radical.
What is the difference between 睨 and 瞪 (dèng)?
瞪 (dèng) is the everyday word for glaring with wide, angry eyes, as in 瞪了他一眼 (dèngle tā yì yǎn). 睨 is literary and suggests a sideways or scornful look rather than a direct stare.
Can I use 睨 in spoken Chinese?
It is rare in casual conversation and can sound bookish. In speech, people usually say 斜眼看 (xié yǎn kàn) for looking sideways or 瞧不起 (qiáobuqǐ) for looking down on someone.