目 mù — eye; an item or entry in a list (目录 a table of contents)

Pinyin

• mù (fourth tone, falling)

eye; an item or entry in a list (目录 a table of contents)

Character breakdown

• 目shape partA single pictograph: an eye with the pupil inside, stood upright.

Mnemonic

An eye with the pupil inside, drawn lying down and then stood on end when Chinese began to be written in vertical columns — which is why it is a tall rectangle today. Count the bars and you can tell three characters apart: 口 is empty, 日 has one, 目 has two. It is the eye under the hand in 看 and the eye in 眼睛 and 睡.

A memory aid written by HSK Guide editors. It is not an etymology and does not describe the historical origin of the character.

Words containing 目

• 目的mùdì (fourth tone, falling)purpose, goal, aim
• 节目/節目jiémù (second tone, rising)programme, show (on television or radio)

Radical 目 — other characters

• 看kàn (fourth tone, falling) kān (first tone, high and level)to look at, to watch, to read; to consider, to regard; to visit; to consult (a doctor); (kān) to look after, to keep watch over
• 眼yǎn (third tone, dipping)eye; a look, a glance; a small hole or aperture; measure word for wells and springs
• 睡shuì (fourth tone, falling)to sleep; to lie down to sleep