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眄 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
眄miǎnto ogle, to squint at, to look askancezg, 9 strokes, radical 目
眄miǎnto ogle atunknown, 9 strokes, radical 目
眄miǎnto look askance atunknown, 9 strokes, radical 目
眄miànto ogle, to squint at, to look askancezg, 9 strokes, radical 目
眄miànto ogle atunknown, 9 strokes, radical 目
眄miànto look askance atunknown, 9 strokes, radical 目
miǎn(mian3)
primary
 T3
  1. 1to ogle, to squint at, to look askance
  2. 2to ogle at
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

眄miǎn(mian3)

The character 眄 (miǎn) refers to the act of looking at someone or something with a sideways glance or squinted eyes, often implying skepticism or disapproval. It can also convey a sense of ogling, particularly in a way that suggests desire or interest, though not always positively. This character is typically used in literary or poetic contexts, rather than in everyday conversation.

Strokes9Radical目
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, the act of looking askance often signifies a deeper commentary on societal norms or relationships, reflecting the importance of perception and judgment in social interactions. This character might appear in poetry to evoke feelings of disdain or suspicion.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person squinting their eyes while peeking at something suspicious from the side. The left part of the character (目) means 'eye', while the right part (冂) can remind you of the way someone might tilt their head to glance sideways. Together, they create the image of someone looking askance.

Meanings of 眄

miǎn(mian3)
primary
1to ogle, to squint at, to look askance
2to ogle at
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 眄

眄Simplified
9Strokes
目Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 眄

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Podcast: 眄

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AI Study Notes for 眄

Quick Contrast

瞥 (piē) - use 眄 when implying skepticism or disapproval, while 瞥 suggests a quick glance without such connotations.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 眄 with similar looking words like 瞥 (piē), which means to glance quickly. While 眄 carries a more skeptical tone, 瞥 is more neutral. It's typically used in formal writing or poetic expressions, so avoid using it in casual conversation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 眄 is not part of the HSK curriculum, understanding it can enhance your vocabulary related to vision and perception. It connects to other words like 看 (kàn, to see) and 瞧 (qiáo, to glance), enriching your understanding of how perspective can affect meaning in language.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 眄 in casual conversation where a simpler term like 看 (kàn) would suffice. For instance, saying '我眄他' (Wǒ miǎn tā) to mean 'I look at him' is incorrect; '我看他' (Wǒ kàn tā) is the right choice.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 眄

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Etymology of 眄

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

eye

Semantic (meaning)目
+
Phonetic (sound)丏
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 眄

  1. 1The meaning half目 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half丏 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayeye
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 眄? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 眄?

Decomposition of 眄

IDS Structure⿰目丏
眄Full Character
=
目mu4
left
丏mian3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 眄?

How to say to ogle, to squint at, to look askance in Chinese

“to ogle, to squint at, to look askance” in Chinese is眄miǎn

The character 眄 (miǎn) refers to the act of looking at someone or something with a sideways glance or squinted eyes, often implying skepticism or disapproval. It can also convey a sense of ogling, particularly in a way that suggests desire or interest, though not always positively. This character is typically used in literary or poetic contexts, rather than in everyday conversation.

When to use 眄

Learners often confuse 眄 with similar looking words like 瞥 (piē), which means to glance quickly. While 眄 carries a more skeptical tone, 瞥 is more neutral. It's typically used in formal writing or poetic expressions, so avoid using it in casual conversation.

眄 or something close to it

瞥 (piē) - use 眄 when implying skepticism or disapproval, while 瞥 suggests a quick glance without such connotations.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 眄 in casual conversation where a simpler term like 看 (kàn) would suffice. For instance, saying '我眄他' (Wǒ miǎn tā) to mean 'I look at him' is incorrect; '我看他' (Wǒ kàn tā) is the right choice.

Write 眄

眄

Practice writing 眄 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 眄

Words Containing This Character1
眄miǎnto ogle at
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 眄 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 眄

眄 implies a more judgmental or skeptical glance, while 瞥 is a quick, neutral glance.

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