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眉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
眉
méi
eyebrow
n, 9 strokes, radical 目, rank #7014, Hard
眉
méi
upper margin
n, 9 strokes, radical 目, rank #7014, Hard
眉
méi
eyebrows; upper margin of book
n, 9 strokes, radical 目, rank #7014, Hard
méi(mei2)mei T2
1eyebrow
2upper margin
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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
By ear
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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'.
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.
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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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.
When to use 眉
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.
眉 or something close to it
眉 (méi) vs 睫 (jié) — use 眉 for 'eyebrow' specifically, while 睫 refers to 'eyelash'.
What learners get wrong
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.
Write 眉
眉
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Practice writing 眉 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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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
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
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 méimao 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 jīhū néng gǎnjué dào tā zài diànhuà nà duān zhòu méi cù é。
He almost felt her wincing at the other end of the telephone.
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 méimao shǐ tā de liǎn kànqǐlai yìcháng xiōnghěn。
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， méimao yáng qǐ， yìwèi shēn cháng dì kàn zhe wǒ。
She looked up at me significantly, raising an eyebrow.
6
他皱着眉，狐疑地看着她。
tā zhòu zhe méi， hú yí dì kàn zhe tā。
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 huítóu kàn le kàn， yòu zhòu zhe méi tóu tíng le xiàlái。
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 wēiwēi zhòu le xià méi tóu， xiǎnrán bìng bù qīdài rènhé rén huídá tā de fǎnwèn。
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 yíhuò。
The priest frowned into the light, his face puzzled.
10
检察员掏出手帕，擦了擦眉头。
jiǎnchá yuán tāo chūshǒu pà， cā le cā méi tóu。
The Inspector took out a handker-chief and mopped his brow.
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Word Family of 眉
Compounds18
媚mèiattractive, charming; to charm, to flatter
楣méicrossbar; lintel
湄méibank, coast, shore
镅méiamericium
鎇méi
堳méi
嵋méithe Omei mountain in Sichuan
煝mèi
猸méibadger, ferret, mongoose
瑂méi
篃mèi
郿méi
濵bīn
睸mèi
葿méi
蝞mèi
鶥méi
鹛méicormorant
Words containing this character20
眉méieyebrow
眉毛méimaoeyebrow
眉头méitóubrows眉頭
皱眉zhòuméito frown皺眉
迫在眉睫pòzàiméijiépressing in on one's eyelashes (idiom); imminent
眉目méimùfeatures
皱眉头zhòuméitóuto scowl皺眉頭
美眉měiméi(coll.) pretty girl
愁眉不展chóuméibùzhǎnwith a worried frown
画眉huàméito apply makeup to the eyebrows畫眉
燃眉之急ránméizhījíextreme emergency
峨眉éméiEmei township in Hsinchu County 新竹縣|新竹县[XīnzhúXiàn], northwest Taiwan
眉心méixīn(the space) between the eyebrows
峨眉山éméishānEmeishan city
愁眉苦脸chóuméikǔliǎnto look anxious (idiom)愁眉苦臉
眉眼méiyǎnlooks
眉笔méibǐeyebrow pencil (cosmetics)眉筆
须眉xūméiman or men (formal)鬚眉
眉飞色舞méifēisèwǔsmiles of exultation眉飛色舞
挤眉弄眼jǐméinòngyǎnto make eyes擠眉弄眼
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 眉
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.
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