Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
眢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
眢yuāndull, parched, or inflamed eyesg, 10 strokes, radical 目
眢yuāninflamed eyelidsunknown, 10 strokes, radical 目
yuān(yuan1) T1
  1. 1dull, parched, or inflamed eyes
  2. 2inflamed eyelids
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

眢yuān(yuan1)

The character 眢 (yuān) refers to a condition of the eyes, specifically describing dullness, inflammation, or dryness. It is often used in medical contexts related to eye health, particularly when discussing symptoms like inflamed eyelids or parched eyes. Understanding this term is useful for learners interested in health-related vocabulary.

Strokes10Radical目
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, eye health is closely linked to overall well-being, and terms like 眢 are important in diagnosing and discussing eye ailments. This reflects the holistic approach of Chinese health practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a pair of tired eyes that are so dry and inflamed they can't even sparkle. The character 眢 resembles a pair of eyes (the left part) with a roof (the top line) that is too hot and dry, causing discomfort. The sound 'yuān' can remind you of 'yawn,' which is what you do when your eyes feel dull and heavy.

Meanings of 眢

yuān(yuan1)
1dull, parched, or inflamed eyes
2inflamed eyelids
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 眢

眢Simplified
10Strokes
目Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 眢

JasonAmy

Podcast: 眢

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 眢

Usage Notes

This term is relatively formal and may not be encountered in everyday conversation. Be cautious of using it in casual contexts; it is more appropriate in medical discussions or literature. Common collocations include phrases related to eye health, such as '眼睛眢' (inflamed eyes).

HSK Study Tips

As this character is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, focus on its radicals and related terms in the context of health and medicine. It can be linked to other terms related to eye conditions, enhancing your understanding of medical vocabulary at higher levels.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 眢 with similar characters related to eyes, such as 眼 (eye). For example, mistakenly saying '眼眢' instead of just using 眢 for specific conditions can lead to misunderstanding. The correct usage would focus solely on 眢 to describe inflamed or parched conditions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 眢

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 眢 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 眢

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

eye

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 眢

  1. 1The meaning half目 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half夗 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 眢? 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 眢?

Decomposition of 眢

IDS Structure⿱夗目
眢Full Character
=
夗yuan4
top
目mu4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 眢?

How to say dull, parched, or inflamed eyes in Chinese

“dull, parched, or inflamed eyes” in Chinese is眢yuān

The character 眢 (yuān) refers to a condition of the eyes, specifically describing dullness, inflammation, or dryness. It is often used in medical contexts related to eye health, particularly when discussing symptoms like inflamed eyelids or parched eyes. Understanding this term is useful for learners interested in health-related vocabulary.

When to use 眢

This term is relatively formal and may not be encountered in everyday conversation. Be cautious of using it in casual contexts; it is more appropriate in medical discussions or literature. Common collocations include phrases related to eye health, such as '眼睛眢' (inflamed eyes).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 眢 with similar characters related to eyes, such as 眼 (eye). For example, mistakenly saying '眼眢' instead of just using 眢 for specific conditions can lead to misunderstanding. The correct usage would focus solely on 眢 to describe inflamed or parched conditions.

Write 眢

眢

Practice writing 眢 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 眢

Words Containing This Character1
眢yuānparched
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 眢 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 眢

It means dull, parched, or inflamed eyes, often used in medical contexts.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 眢?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.