Usage of the character 眼

lit. one strong beat and one weak beats in a measure of music (two beats in the bar) (idiom); fig. follow a prescribed pattern to the letter
scrupulous attention to detail

yǎnqiányīliàng

眼前一亮

[眼前一亮]

(one's) eyes light up; to be impressed by what one sees

yǎnshénbùjì

眼神不济

[眼神不濟]

to have poor eyesight

fánghùyǎnjìng

防护眼镜

[防護眼鏡]

safety goggles

fàngyǎnwàngqù

放眼望去

[放眼望去]

as far as the eye can see

cāliàngyǎnjīng

擦亮眼睛

[擦亮眼睛]

to keep one's eyes open (idiom)
to be on one's guard
to be clear-eyed

dǎxīnyǎnli

打心眼里

[打心眼裡]

from the bottom of one's heart
heartily
sincerely

duōkànjǐyǎn

多看几眼

[多看幾眼]

to take a closer look; to look at (sb or sth) a few more times

yánleyǎnr

严了眼儿

[嚴了眼兒]

up to the eyeballs
full to overflowing
jampacked

yǎnshénbùhǎo

眼神不好

[眼神不好]

to have poor eyesight

yǐnxíngyǎnjìng

隐形眼镜

[隱形眼鏡]

contact lens
CL:隻／只 (zhī),副 (fù)

yǎnmíngshǒukuài

眼明手快

[眼明手快]

sharp-sighted and deft

yǎnxiā'ěrlóng

眼瞎耳聋

[眼瞎耳聾]

to be deaf and blind (idiom)

tiānxíngchìyǎn

天行赤眼

[天行赤眼]

acute contagious conjunctivitis (TCM)

zhíméidèngyǎn

直眉瞪眼

[直眉瞪眼]

to stare angrily or vacantly

dǎmǎhuyǎn

打马虎眼

[打馬虎眼]

to play dumb
to slack off (idiom)

yǒusèyǎnjìng

有色眼镜

[有色眼鏡]

(idiom) biased perspective; prejudice

yǎnlèihèngliú

眼泪横流

[眼淚橫流]

to be overflowing with tears (idiom)

méikāiyǎnxiào

眉开眼笑

[眉開眼笑]

brows raised in delight, eyes laughing (idiom); beaming with joy
all smiles

dàbǎoyǎnfú

大饱眼福

[大飽眼福]

to feast one's eyes

shuìyǎnxīngsōng

睡眼惺忪

[睡眼惺忪]

(idiom) sleepy-eyed; still half asleep

diūméidiūyǎn

丢眉丢眼

[丟眉丟眼]

to wink at sb

yǎnchuānchángduàn

眼穿肠断

[眼穿腸斷]

waiting anxiously (idiom)

tóuhūnyǎnhuā

头昏眼花

[頭昏眼花]

to faint with blurred vision (idiom); dizzy and eyes dimmed

nóngméidàyǎn

浓眉大眼

[濃眉大眼]

thick eyebrows and big eyes

lěngyǎnpángguān

冷眼旁观

[冷眼旁觀]

(idiom) to observe with an indifferent attitude; to be a bystander (usually referring to someone who could get involved but chooses not to)

kànzàiyǎnli

看在眼里

[看在眼裡]

to observe; to take it all in

yǎnjiànwéishí

眼见为实

[眼見為實]

seeing is believing

sǐxīnyǎnr

死心眼儿

[死心眼兒]

stubborn
obstinate
having a one-track mind

dàkāiyǎnjiè

大开眼界

[大開眼界]

(idiom) to broaden one's horizons greatly

yǎngāoshǒudī

眼高手低

[眼高手低]

to have high standards but little ability
to be fastidious but incompetent (idiom)

bíqīngyǎnzhǒng

鼻青眼肿

[鼻青眼腫]

a black eye (idiom); serious injury to the face
fig. a setback
a defeat

quēxīnyǎnr

缺心眼儿

[缺心眼兒]

erhua variant of 缺心眼 (quēxīnyǎn)

chóngyǎnpír

重眼皮儿

[重眼皮兒]

double eyelid
epicanthal fold of upper eyelid (characteristic of Asian people)

sǎngziyǎnr

嗓子眼儿

[嗓子眼兒]

erhua variant of 嗓子眼 (sǎngziyǎn)

zuòméizuòyǎn

做眉做眼

[做眉做眼]

to frown

shǒuyǎnxiétiáo

手眼协调

[手眼協調]

hand-eye coordination

ròuyǎnfántāi

肉眼凡胎

[肉眼凡胎]

ignoramus (idiom)

héyǎnmōxiàng

合眼摸象

[合眼摸象]

to touch an elephant with closed eyes (idiom); to proceed blindly

yǎnquānhóngle

眼圈红了

[眼圈紅了]

to be on the verge of tears

tóuhūnyǎn'àn

头昏眼暗

[頭昏眼暗]

head spinning and eyes dark (idiom); dizzy
fainting
vertigo

yǎnbùzhuànjīng

眼不转睛

[眼不轉睛]

with fixed attention (idiom)

jīnyǎnméiquè

金眼鹛雀

[金眼鶥雀]

(bird species of China) yellow-eyed babbler (Chrysomma sinense)

xīyǐnyǎnqiú

吸引眼球

[吸引眼球]

to attract attention; to catch attention

guòyǎnyúnyān

过眼云烟

[過眼雲煙]

ephemeral (idiom)

bùqǐyǎnr

不起眼儿

[不起眼兒]

erhua variant of 不起眼 (bùqǐyǎn)

sìyǎntiánjī

四眼田鸡

[四眼田雞]

four-eyes (facetious term for a person who wears glasses)

xiélengyǎnr

斜愣眼儿

[斜愣眼兒]

erhua variant of 斜愣眼 (xiélengyǎn)

zhīyǎndújù

只眼独具

[隻眼獨具]

see 獨具隻眼／独具只眼 (dújùzhīyǎn)

diēpòyǎnjìng

跌破眼镜

[跌破眼鏡]

(fig.) to be astounded

ěrduoyǎnr

耳朵眼儿

[耳朵眼兒]

earhole
ear piercing hole; earring hole

yǎnjíshǒukuài

眼疾手快

[眼疾手快]

(idiom) sharp-eyed and adroit

dújùzhīyǎn

独具只眼

[獨具隻眼]

to see what others fail to see (idiom)
to have exceptional insight

tóuhūnyǎnyūn

头昏眼晕

[頭昏眼暈]

head spinning and blurred vision
giddy
in a faint

yǎnpídǐxia

眼皮底下

[眼皮底下]

in front of one's eyes

yīyǎnkànchuān

一眼看穿

[一眼看穿]

to see through something at first glance (idiom)

yǒubǎnyǒuyǎn

有板有眼

[有板有眼]

orderly
methodical
rhythmical

yībǎnsānyǎn

一板三眼

[一板三眼]

lit. one strong beat and three weak beats in a measure of music (four beats in the bar) (idiom); fig. scrupulous attention to detail

yǎnhuāliáoluàn

眼花缭乱

[眼花繚亂]

to be dazzled

yìngrùyǎnlián

映入眼帘

[映入眼簾]

(idiom) to greet the eye
to come into view

ānquányǎnzhào

安全眼罩

[安全眼罩]

safety goggles

yǎnchándùbǎo

眼馋肚饱

[眼饞肚飽]

to have eyes bigger than one's belly (idiom)

zéiméizéiyǎn

贼眉贼眼

[賊眉賊眼]

see 賊眉鼠眼／贼眉鼠眼 (zéiméishǔyǎn)

yǎnpíziqiǎn

眼皮子浅

[眼皮子淺]

short-sighted

yǎnlìjiànr

眼力见儿

[眼力見兒]

erhua variant of 眼力見／眼力见 (yǎnlìjiàn)

yǎnwénzàoméi

眼纹噪鹛

[眼紋噪鶥]

(bird species of China) spotted laughingthrush (Ianthocincla ocellata)

lìngyǎnxiāngkàn

另眼相看

[另眼相看]

to treat sb favorably
to view in a new light

méizhǎngyǎnjing

没长眼睛

[沒長眼睛]

(coll.) are you blind or something?
look where you're going

jǐméinòngyǎn

挤眉弄眼

[擠眉弄眼]

to make eyes
to wink

èyúyǎnlèi

鳄鱼眼泪

[鱷魚眼淚]

crocodile tears

wàngyǎnyùchuān

望眼欲穿

[望眼欲穿]

to anxiously await

jiēguyǎnr

节骨眼儿

[節骨眼兒]

erhua variant of 節骨眼／节骨眼 (jiēguyǎn)

héngméishùyǎn

横眉竖眼

[橫眉豎眼]

to scowl fiercely
to glare

yīyǎnwàngqù

一眼望去

[一眼望去]

as far as the eye can see

zhuǎnyǎnbiànwàng

转眼便忘

[轉眼便忘]

what the eye doesn't see the heart doesn't miss (idiom)

yǒuyǎnwúzhū

有眼无珠

[有眼無珠]

(idiom) blind as a bat (figuratively)
unaware of who (or what) one is dealing with
to fail to recognize what sb a bit more perceptive would

lǎoyǎnhūnhuā

老眼昏花

[老眼昏花]

blurred vision of an old person (idiom)

bābǎoyǎnyào

八宝眼药

[八寶眼藥]

eight-jewel eye ointment (TCM)

címéishànyǎn

慈眉善眼

[慈眉善眼]

see 慈眉善目 (címéi-shànmù)

dúyǎnjùrén

独眼巨人

[獨眼巨人]

cyclops

fàngzàiyǎnlǐ

放在眼里

[放在眼裡]

to pay attention to
to care about
to attach importance to

huǒyǎnjīnjīng

火眼金睛

[火眼金睛]

piercing eyes
discerning eyes

yǎnmàojīnxīng

眼冒金星

[眼冒金星]

to see stars
dazed

sāshǒubìyǎn

撒手闭眼

[撒手閉眼]

to have nothing further to do with a matter (idiom)

báiméichìyǎn

白眉赤眼

[白眉赤眼]

for no reason (idiom)

ròuyǎnguānchá

肉眼观察

[肉眼觀察]

observation by naked eye

báiyǎnhéyàn

白眼河燕

[白眼河燕]

(bird species of China) white-eyed river martin (Pseudochelidon sirintarae)

qīnyǎnmùdǔ

亲眼目睹

[親眼目睹]

to see for oneself
to see with one's own eyes

zhǎngdiǎnxīnyǎn

长点心眼

[長點心眼]

to watch out
to keep one's wits about one

dìsānyǎnjiǎn

第三眼睑

[第三眼瞼]

(zoology) nictitating membrane

tàiyángyǎnjìng

太阳眼镜

[太陽眼鏡]

sunglasses

méiláiyǎnqù

眉来眼去

[眉來眼去]

(idiom) to make eyes; to exchange flirting glances with sb

kōuzìyǎnr

抠字眼儿

[摳字眼兒]

erhua variant of 摳字眼／抠字眼 (kōuzìyǎn)

yǐyǎnhuányǎn

以眼还眼

[以眼還眼]

an eye for an eye (idiom); fig. to use the enemy's methods against him
to give sb a taste of his own medicine

guòyǎnyānyún

过眼烟云

[過眼煙雲]

ephemeral (idiom)

tóuyūnyǎnhuā

头晕眼花

[頭暈眼花]

to faint with blurred vision (idiom); dizzy and eyes dimmed

yǎnlùshāqì

眼露杀气

[眼露殺氣]

to have a murderous look in one's eyes (idiom)

zhuǎnyǎnzhījiān

转眼之间

[轉眼之間]

(idiom) in the wink of an eye; in a flash

liúxīnyǎnr

留心眼儿

[留心眼兒]

to be on the alert
to keep one's eyes open

dīméishùnyǎn

低眉顺眼

[低眉順眼]

docile; submissive

jīnfàbìyǎn

金发碧眼

[金髮碧眼]

fair-haired and blue-eyed
blonde
of Western appearance

yībǎoyǎnfú

一饱眼福

[一飽眼福]

to feast one's eyes on (idiom)

dàimàoyǎnjìng

玳瑁眼镜

[玳瑁眼鏡]

hawksbill shell-rimmed eyeglasses
CL:副 (fù)

biéjùzhīyǎn

别具只眼

[別具隻眼]

see 獨具隻眼／独具只眼 (dújùzhīyǎn)

jìnshōuyǎndǐ

尽收眼底

[盡收眼底]

to take in the whole scene at once; to have a panoramic view

báiyǎnkuángyīng

白眼𫛭鹰

[白眼鵟鷹]

(bird species of China) white-eyed buzzard (Butastur teesa)

dīdìxiùyǎnniǎo

低地绣眼鸟

[低地繡眼鳥]

(bird species of China) lowland white-eye (Zosterops meyeni)

hóngxiéxiùyǎnniǎo

红胁绣眼鸟

[紅脅繡眼鳥]

(bird species of China) chestnut-flanked white-eye (Zosterops erythropleurus)

chuīhúzidèngyǎn

吹胡子瞪眼

[吹鬍子瞪眼]

to get angry; to fume

ànlüxiùyǎnniǎo

暗绿绣眼鸟

[暗綠繡眼鳥]

(bird species of China) Swinhoe's white-eye (Zosterops simplex)

huīyǎnduǎnjiǎobēi

灰眼短脚鹎

[灰眼短腳鵯]

(bird species of China) grey-eyed bulbul (Iole propinqua)

kuàisùdòngyǎnqī

快速动眼期

[快速動眼期]

REM sleep

yǎnpízidǐxià

眼皮子底下

[眼皮子底下]

right in front of sb's eyes
right under sb's nose
current
at the moment

yǎnwénhuángshānquè

眼纹黄山雀

[眼紋黃山雀]

(bird species of China) Himalayan black-lored tit (Machlolophus xanthogenys)

zhēngyǎnshuōxiāhuà

睁眼说瞎话

[睜眼說瞎話]

(idiom) to lie through one's teeth; to talk drivel

Yìndùyǎnjìngshé

印度眼镜蛇

[印度眼鏡蛇]

Indian cobra (Naja naja)

gǒuyǎnkànréndī

狗眼看人低

[狗眼看人低]

to act like a snob

dàyǎndèngxiǎoyǎn

大眼瞪小眼

[大眼瞪小眼]

(idiom) to look at each other, not knowing what to do

yǒuyǎnlìjiànr

有眼力见儿

[有眼力見兒]

(dialect) alert
attentive
observant

Rìběnxiùyǎnniǎo

日本绣眼鸟

[日本繡眼鳥]

(bird species of China) warbling white-eye (Zosterops japonicus)

yǎnbùjiànwéijìng

眼不见为净

[眼不見為淨]

what remains unseen is deemed to be clean
what the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over (idiom)

huīfùxiùyǎnniǎo

灰腹绣眼鸟

[灰腹繡眼鳥]

(bird species of China) Indian white-eye (Zosterops palpebrosus)

shārénbùzhǎyǎn

杀人不眨眼

[殺人不眨眼]

to murder without blinking an eye (idiom)
ruthless
cold-blooded

liǎngyǎnyīmōhēi

两眼一摸黑

[兩眼一摸黑]

(of sb in an unfamiliar situation) helpless and disoriented

yǒuyǎnbùshí Tài Shān

有眼不识泰山

[有眼不識泰山]

lit. to have eyes but fail to recognize Mt Tai (idiom)
fig. to fail to recognize sb important or sb's great talent
to be blind to the fact

zhēngyīyǎnbìyīyǎn

睁一眼闭一眼

[睜一眼閉一眼]

to turn a blind eye

zhēngzhīyǎnbìzhīyǎn

睁只眼闭只眼

[睜隻眼閉隻眼]

to turn a blind eye

yǎnjingchībīngqílín

眼睛吃冰淇淋

[眼睛吃冰淇淋]

(slang) (Tw) to be checking out the hotties

yǎnlǐróubudéshāzi

眼里揉不得沙子

[眼裡揉不得沙子]

see 眼裡容不得沙子／眼里容不得沙子 (yǎnlǐróngbudéshāzi)

yǎnlǐróngbudéshāzi

眼里容不得沙子

[眼裡容不得沙子]

can't bear having grit in one's eye (idiom)
unable to put sth objectionable out of one's mind
not prepared to turn a blind eye

yǎnbùjiàn,xīnbùfán

眼不见，心不烦

[眼不見，心不煩]

what the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over (idiom)

bìsèyǎnjīngzhuōmáquè

闭塞眼睛捉麻雀

[閉塞眼睛捉麻雀]

lit. to catch sparrows blindfolded (idiom)
fig. to act blindly

hǎohànbùchīyǎnqiánkuī

好汉不吃眼前亏

[好漢不吃眼前虧]

a wise man knows better than to fight when the odds are against him (idiom)

zhēngzheyǎnjīngshuōxiāhuà

睁着眼睛说瞎话

[睜著眼睛說瞎話]

(idiom) to lie through one's teeth; to talk drivel

yǎnzhōngdīng,ròuzhōngcì

眼中钉，肉中刺

[眼中釘，肉中刺]

a thorn in one's side

qíngrényǎnlǐchū Xīshī

情人眼里出西施

[情人眼裡出西施]

lit. in the eyes of a lover appears 西施 ( Xīshī) (idiom); fig. beauty is in the eye of the beholder

héngtiāobízishùtiāoyǎn

横挑鼻子竖挑眼

[橫挑鼻子豎挑眼]

to pick on sth incessantly (idiom)
to criticize right and left

qíngrényǎnlǐyǒu Xīshī

情人眼里有西施

[情人眼裡有西施]

In the eyes of the lover, a famous beauty (idiom). Beauty in the eye of the beholder

zhēngyīzhīyǎnbìyīzhīyǎn

睁一只眼闭一只眼

[睜一隻眼閉一隻眼]

to turn a blind eye

yībǎyǎnlèiyībǎbítì

一把眼泪一把鼻涕

[一把眼淚一把鼻涕]

with one's face covered in tears (idiom)

yǎnguānliùlù'ěrtīngbāfāng

眼观六路耳听八方

[眼觀六路耳聽八方]

lit. the eyes watch six roads and the ears listen in all directions
to be observant and alert (idiom)

yǐyǎnhuányǎn,yǐyáhuányá

以眼还眼，以牙还牙

[以眼還眼，以牙還牙]

an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (idiom)
fig. to use the enemy's methods against him
to give sb a taste of his own medicine

ěrtīngwéixū,yǎnjiànwéishí

耳听为虚，眼见为实

[耳聽為虛，眼見為實]

(idiom) you cannot always trust what you hear, but seeing is believing

dàchùzhuóyǎn,xiǎochùzhuóshǒu

大处着眼，小处着手

[大處著眼，小處著手]

think of the big picture, start with the little things (idiom)

yǎnguānsìmiàn,ěrtīngbāfāng

眼观四面，耳听八方

[眼觀四面，耳聽八方]

lit. the eyes observe all sides and the ears listen in all directions (idiom)
fig. to be observant and alert

yǎnguānsìchù,ěrtīngbāfāng

眼观四处，耳听八方

[眼觀四處，耳聽八方]

see 眼觀四面，耳聽八方／眼观四面，耳听八方 (yǎnguānsìmiàn,ěrtīngbāfāng)

yǎnjiànwéishí,ěrtīngwéixū

眼见为实，耳听为虚

[眼見為實，耳聽為虛]

to believe what one sees, not what one hears (idiom). Don't believe what people tell you until you see if for yourself.
It ain't necessarily so.

chóurénxiāngjiàn,fènwàiyǎnhóng

仇人相见，分外眼红

[仇人相見，分外眼紅]

when the enemies come face to face, their eyes blaze with hatred (idiom)

tiāndī Wú Chǔ,yǎnkōngwúwù

天低吴楚，眼空无物

[天低吳楚，眼空無物]

the sky hangs low over the Yangtze, empty as far as the eye can see (idiom); nothing to see to the broad horizon

bùtīnglǎorényán,chīkuīzàiyǎnqián

不听老人言，吃亏在眼前

[不聽老人言，吃虧在眼前]

(idiom) ignore your elders at your peril