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眸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
眸móueye; pupiln, 11 strokes, radical 目, rank #28761, Very Hard
眸móupupil (of the eye)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 目, rank #28761, Very Hard
móu(mou2)mou T2
  1. 1eye; pupil
  2. 2pupil (of the eye)
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March 24, 2026

眸móu(mou2)

The character 眸 (móu) refers to the pupil or the eye, particularly focusing on the deep, expressive aspect of the eye. It is often used in literary contexts to describe someone's gaze or the beauty of their eyes, conveying a sense of depth and emotion.

Strokes11Radical目Frequency#28761DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the eyes are often seen as windows to the soul, symbolizing emotions and inner thoughts. The use of 眸 in poetry emphasizes the beauty and depth of one's gaze, reflecting the importance of expressive communication.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'mole' (sounds like 'móu') peering out of a hole, its large eyes full of curiosity. The character 眸 visually resembles two eyes looking out, with the left side suggesting depth and the right side suggesting clarity.

Meanings of 眸

móu(mou2)
1eye; pupil
2pupil (of the eye)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 眸 means.

About 眸

眸Simplified
11Strokes
目Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 眸

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Podcast: 眸

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AI study notes for 眸

Quick Contrast

眼 (yǎn) — use 眸 (móu) for a more poetic or expressive description of the eye's depth, while 眼 (yǎn) is the general term for 'eye'.

Usage Notes

While 眸 is used in more poetic or formal contexts, learners should avoid using it in everyday conversation, where simpler terms like 眼睛 (yǎnjing) are preferred. Be mindful of pronunciation, as a mispronunciation could lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 眸 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to HSK Level 4 terms related to vision, such as 眼 (yǎn) for 'eye.' Students should focus on understanding its nuances in literature and poetry to enrich their vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 眸 with 眼睛, using it inappropriately in casual contexts. For example, saying '我有很美的眸' (Wǒ yǒu hěn měi de móu) instead of '我有很美的眼睛' (Wǒ yǒu hěn měi de yǎnjing) is incorrect in everyday conversation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 眸

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Etymology of 眸

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

eye

Semantic (meaning)目
+
Phonetic (sound)牟
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

眸 = 目 + 牟. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 眸

IDS Structure⿰目牟
眸Full character
=
目mu4
left
牟Mou2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 眸?

How to say eye; pupil in Chinese

“eye; pupil” in Chinese is眸móu

The character 眸 (móu) refers to the pupil or the eye, particularly focusing on the deep, expressive aspect of the eye. It is often used in literary contexts to describe someone's gaze or the beauty of their eyes, conveying a sense of depth and emotion.

When to use 眸

While 眸 is used in more poetic or formal contexts, learners should avoid using it in everyday conversation, where simpler terms like 眼睛 (yǎnjing) are preferred. Be mindful of pronunciation, as a mispronunciation could lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.

眸 or something close to it

眼 (yǎn) — use 眸 (móu) for a more poetic or expressive description of the eye's depth, while 眼 (yǎn) is the general term for 'eye'.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 眸 with 眼睛, using it inappropriately in casual contexts. For example, saying '我有很美的眸' (Wǒ yǒu hěn měi de móu) instead of '我有很美的眼睛' (Wǒ yǒu hěn měi de yǎnjing) is incorrect in everyday conversation.

Write 眸

眸

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

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Grammar patterns of 眸

眸 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 2 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 3

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

她一袭天蓝色的真丝衬衫式连身裙,和她的双____颜色一样。

Her silk shirtdress was sky-blue, the colour of her eyes.

Example sentences for 眸 (3)

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1
她一袭天蓝色的真丝衬衫式连身裙,和她的双眸颜色一样。

tā yī xí tiān lánsè de zhēn sī chènshān shì lián shēn qún, hé tā de shuāng móu yánsè yíyàng。

Her silk shirtdress was sky-blue, the colour of her eyes.
2
她的双眸是矢车菊一般的亮蓝色。

tā de shuāng móu shì shǐ chē jú yìbān de liàng lánsè。

Her eyes were a bright, cornflower blue.
3
他被她的外表——高挺的鼻梁、深邃的双眸和浓密的秀发——迷住了。

tā bèi tā de wàibiǎo—— gāo tǐng de bí liáng、 shēnsuì de shuāng móu hé nóng mì de xiù fā—— mí zhù le。

He was fascinated by her physiognomy — the prominent nose, brooding eyes and thick hair.

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Word Family of 眸

Words containing this character7
眸móueye
双眸one's pair of eyes雙眸
回眸to glance back
眼眸eyes
眸子pupil of the eye
明眸皓齿to have bright eyes and white teeth明眸皓齒
皓齿明眸white teeth and bright eyes (idiom); lovely young woman皓齒明眸
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 眸

What does 双眸 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 眸

No, 眸 is more commonly found in literary or poetic contexts rather than in everyday speech.

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