眼睛 yǎnjing — eye, eyes

Meanings

1. 1

   eye, eyes

   The eye. Chinese does not mark the plural, so 她的眼睛很大 describes both eyes at once, and 双 is the measure word for the pair.

   noun

Character breakdown

• 眼

  yǎn (third tone, dipping)

  eye; a look, a glance; a small hole or aperture; measure word for wells and springs

  11 strokes⿰目艮Radical 目

Example sentences

• 她的眼睛很大。Tā (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) yǎnjing (third tone, dipping) hěn (third tone, dipping) dà. (fourth tone, falling)···

  She has big eyes.

• 我的眼睛很累，想休息一下。Wǒ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) yǎnjing (third tone, dipping) hěn (third tone, dipping) lèi, (fourth tone, falling) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) xiūxi (first tone, high and level) yíxià. (second tone, rising)···

  My eyes are tired — I’d like a short break.

Common mistakes

• Not quiteyǎnjīng

  Correctyǎnjing

  The second syllable of 眼睛 is neutral. With a full first tone the word becomes 眼镜 yǎnjìng "spectacles" in the ear of a listener, which is a different object altogether.

Similar words