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眨眼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
眨眼zhǎyǎnto blinkHSK 7, unknown, 20 strokes, rank #6642, Very Hard
眨眼zhǎyǎnto winkHSK 7, unknown, 20 strokes, rank #6642, Very Hard
眨眼zhǎyǎnin the twinkling of an eyeHSK 7, unknown, 20 strokes, rank #6642, Very Hard
zhǎyǎn(zha3yan3)zha yan T3
  1. 1to blink
  2. 2to wink
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March 24, 2026

眨眼zhǎyǎn(zha3yan3)

The term 眨眼 (zhǎ yǎn) means 'to blink' or 'to wink,' referring to the rapid closing and opening of the eyes. It is commonly used to describe a quick action, such as something happening 'in the twinkling of an eye,' emphasizing speed or surprise in various contexts.

Strokes20Frequency#6642DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, blinking can symbolize a quick change or surprise, often used in idiomatic expressions to convey fleeting moments in life. It reflects the fast-paced nature of modern society where events can change unexpectedly.

Memory tip

Imagine a cartoon character who has huge eyes that blink exaggeratedly. The character's eyes are made up of two components: 目 (eye) and the action of blinking (represented by the radical 夭). Picture the character blinking so fast that everything around them changes in an instant, helping you link 眨 (to blink) with 眼 (eye).

Meanings of 眨眼

zhǎyǎn(zha3yan3)
1to blink
2to wink
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About 眨眼

眨眼Simplified
20Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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AI study notes for 眨眼

Quick Contrast

眨眼 (blink) vs 眨 (wink) — use 眨 when emphasizing the action of winking specifically, rather than the general action of blinking.

Usage Notes

When using 眨眼, be careful with the tone; 'zha3' must be pronounced with a falling tone to convey the correct meaning. It often appears in informal contexts, so it's suitable for casual conversations but may not be appropriate in formal writing. Common collocations include '眨眼的瞬间' (the moment of blinking).

HSK Study Tips

While 眨眼 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it can be connected to HSK Level 3 verbs related to actions. Focus on the pronunciation and tonal aspects, as well as practicing with other verbs that describe quick movements, enhancing your overall vocabulary related to actions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse the tones and say 'zhā yǎn' instead of 'zhǎ yǎn,' which changes the meaning completely. Additionally, some may forget to include the specific context, like '眼' (eye), leading to incomplete expressions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 眨眼

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Component characters

眨zhǎto blink
HSK 69 strokes目
View full entry
眼yǎneye
HSK 511 strokes目
View full entry

How to say to blink in Chinese

“to blink” in Chinese is眨眼zhǎyǎn

The term 眨眼 (zhǎ yǎn) means 'to blink' or 'to wink,' referring to the rapid closing and opening of the eyes. It is commonly used to describe a quick action, such as something happening 'in the twinkling of an eye,' emphasizing speed or surprise in various contexts.

When to use 眨眼

When using 眨眼, be careful with the tone; 'zha3' must be pronounced with a falling tone to convey the correct meaning. It often appears in informal contexts, so it's suitable for casual conversations but may not be appropriate in formal writing. Common collocations include '眨眼的瞬间' (the moment of blinking).

眨眼 or something close to it

眨眼 (blink) vs 眨 (wink) — use 眨 when emphasizing the action of winking specifically, rather than the general action of blinking.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse the tones and say 'zhā yǎn' instead of 'zhǎ yǎn,' which changes the meaning completely. Additionally, some may forget to include the specific context, like '眼' (eye), leading to incomplete expressions.

Write 眨眼

眨
眼

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Frequently asked questions about 眨眼

You can say '他眨眼睛' (Tā zhǎ yǎnjing) which means 'He blinked his eyes.'

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