Where the shape comes from
An eye drawn lying on its side, with the pupil inside. Writing in vertical columns stood it upright, which is why it is now a tall rectangle with two strokes across the middle. It marks seeing and the states of the eye: 看, 眼, 睛, 睡.
汉字 filed under 目
- 目mù (fourth tone, falling)eye; an item or entry in a list (目录 a table of contents)5
- 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 over9
- 眼yǎn (third tone, dipping)eye; a look, a glance; a small hole or aperture; measure word for wells and springs11
- 睡shuì (fourth tone, falling)to sleep; to lie down to sleep13