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March 24, 2026
眉méi(mei2)
The character 眉 (méi) primarily means 'eyebrow' in Mandarin. It is commonly used in contexts related to facial features, beauty, and expressions. Additionally, it can refer to the upper margin of a book, indicating its broader application in literature and design.
Strokes9Radical目Frequency#7014DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, eyebrows are often associated with beauty and expressiveness. The shape and grooming of eyebrows can signify different personality traits, and traditional beauty standards emphasize well-defined eyebrows.
Memory Tip
Imagine a pair of raised eyebrows (眉) that look like two arches over your eyes, emphasizing surprise or curiosity. The left part of the character resembles a 'mountain' (山), symbolizing the peak of the brow, while the right part (毛) represents 'fur' or 'hair', reminding you that eyebrows are made of hair.
Meanings of 眉
méi(mei2)
1eyebrow
2upper margin
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 眉
眉Simplified
9Strokes
目Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#7014Frequency Rank
Podcast: 眉
Podcast: 眉
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AI Study Notes for 眉
Quick Contrast
眉 (méi) vs 睫 (jié) — use 眉 for 'eyebrow' specifically, while 睫 refers to 'eyelash'.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a pair of raised eyebrows (眉) that look like two arches over your eyes, emphasizing surprise or curiosity. The left part of the character resembles a 'mountain' (山), symbolizing the peak of the brow, while the right part (毛) represents 'fur' or 'hair', reminding you that eyebrows are made of hair.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the pronunciation of 眉 (méi), as it can be confused with similar sounding words. This term is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in discussions about beauty and aesthetics. Common collocations include 眉毛 (méimáo), meaning 'eyebrows', and 眉心 (méixīn), referring to the space between the eyebrows.
HSK Study Tips
Though 眉 is not in the official HSK levels, it can be useful for learners at HSK 3 and above who are expanding their vocabulary related to the human body and facial features. Students should focus on the character's components and its usage in various phrases.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, eyebrows are often associated with beauty and expressiveness. The shape and grooming of eyebrows can signify different personality traits, and traditional beauty standards emphasize well-defined eyebrows.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 眉 (méi) with similar characters like 眉毛 (méimáo) and may use them interchangeably, which can lead to misunderstanding. Always remember that 眉 refers to the brow itself, while 眉毛 means the hairs of the eyebrow.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 眉
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Grammar Patterns of 眉
眉 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
把你的____毛修剪成越往外眼角越细的月牙形。
Taper the shape of your eyebrows towards the outer corners.
Example Sentences for 眉 (10)
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1
把你的眉毛修剪成越往外眼角越细的月牙形。
bǎ nǐ de méi máo xiū jiǎn chéng yuè wǎng wài yǎn jiǎo yuè xì de yuè yá xíng。
Taper the shape of your eyebrows towards the outer corners.
2
他几乎能感觉到她在电话那端皱眉蹙额。
tā jī hū néng gǎn jué dào tā zài diàn huà nà duān zhòu méi cù é。
He almost felt her wincing at the other end of the telephone.
3
在社区中心一提到资金问题，大家就会愁眉不展。
zài shè qū zhōng xīn yī tí dào zī jīn wèn tí， ， dà jiā jiù huì chóu méi bù。
At the com-munity centre, mention of funds produces pained looks.
4
两道浓黑的眉毛使他的脸看起来异常凶狠。
liǎng dào nóng hēi de méi máo shǐ tā de liǎn kàn qǐ lái yì cháng xiōng hěn。
The strong dark eyebrows give his face an oddly menacing look.
5
她抬起头，眉毛扬起，意味深长地看着我。
tā tái qǐ tóu， ， méi máo yáng， qǐ ， yì wèi shēn cháng dì kàn。
She looked up at me significantly, raising an eyebrow.
6
他皱着眉，狐疑地看着她。
tā zhòu zháo méi， ， hú yí dì kàn zháo。
He was looking at her with his eyebrows raised questioningly.
7
尼克回头看了看，又皱着眉头停了下来。
ní kè huí tóu kàn le kàn， ， yòu zhòu zháo méi tóu tíng le xià。
Nick looked back over his shoulder and then stopped, frowning.
8
他微微皱了下眉头，显然并不期待任何人回答他的反问。
tā wēi wēi zhòu le xià méi tóu， ， xiǎn rán bìng bù qī dài rèn hé rén huí dá tā de fǎn。
He grimaced slightly, obviously expecting no answer to his rhetorical question.
9
神父在亮光下皱起了眉头，一脸疑惑。
shén fù zài liàng guāng xià zhòu qǐ le méi tóu， ， yī liǎn yí。
The priest frowned into the light, his face puzzled.
10
检察员掏出手帕，擦了擦眉头。
jiǎn chá yuán tāo chū shǒu pà， ， cā le cā méi。
The Inspector took out a handker-chief and mopped his brow.
Cultural Notes for 眉
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, eyebrows are often associated with beauty and expressiveness. The shape and grooming of eyebrows can signify different personality traits, and traditional beauty standards emphasize well-defined eyebrows.
Word Family of 眉
Compounds18
媚mei4attractive, charming; to charm, to flatter
楣mei2crossbar; lintel
湄mei2bank, coast, shore
镅mei2americium
鎇
堳
嵋mei2the Omei mountain in Sichuan
煝
猸mei2badger, ferret, mongoose
瑂
篃
郿
濵
睸
葿
蝞
鶥
鹛mei2cormorant
Words Containing This Character20
眉méieyebrow
眉毛méimaoeyebrow
眉头brows眉頭
皱眉to frown皺眉
迫在眉睫pressing in on one's eyelashes (idiom); imminent
眉目features
皱眉头to scowl皺眉頭
美眉(coll.) pretty girl
愁眉不展with a worried frown
画眉to apply makeup to the eyebrows畫眉
燃眉之急extreme emergency
峨眉Emei township in Hsinchu County 新竹縣|新竹县[XīnzhúXiàn], northwest Taiwan
眉心(the space) between the eyebrows
峨眉山Emeishan city
愁眉苦脸chóuméikǔliǎnto look anxious (idiom)愁眉苦臉
眉眼looks
眉笔eyebrow pencil (cosmetics)眉筆
须眉man or men (formal)鬚眉
眉飞色舞smiles of exultation眉飛色舞
挤眉弄眼to make eyes擠眉弄眼
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 媚 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 眉
眉 (méi) refers specifically to the concept of an eyebrow, while 眉毛 (méimáo) is the full term for eyebrows. 眉毛 is commonly used in everyday language to refer to the hair that forms the eyebrow.
Yes, there are phrases like '眉开眼笑' (méi kāi yǎn xiào), which means to be all smiles or very happy. Such expressions highlight the emotional aspect associated with the character 眉.
To use 眉 in a sentence, you might say '她的眉毛很漂亮' (Tā de méimáo hěn piàoliang), which means 'Her eyebrows are beautiful.' This shows how the word is applied in context.
眉 (méi) means 'eyebrow' in Chinese. It can also refer to the upper margin of a page or the upper edge of something. This character is commonly used in both everyday conversation and formal writing.
眉 is pronounced as 'méi' with a rising tone, similar to saying 'may' in English but with a sharper ending.
Yes, in literature, 眉 can refer to the upper margin of a page, but it is primarily used to denote eyebrows.
