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眥 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
眥zìeye socket; the corner of the eyezg, 11 strokes, radical 目
zì(zi4) T4
  1. 1eye socket; the corner of the eye
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

眥zì(zi4)

The character 眥 (zì) refers specifically to the eye socket or the corner of the eye. It is often used in anatomical or medical contexts, as well as in literary descriptions of facial features.

Strokes11Radical目
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the eye area is significant for diagnosing health issues, making terms related to the eye, including 眥, relevant in discussions about health and wellness.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'Z' shape representing the corner of the eye, where the eye socket is located. The character 眥 contains the 'eye' radical 目, which visually connects to its meaning, while the phonetic component suggests a hint of 'z' sound, making it easy to remember.

Meanings of 眥

zì(zi4)
1eye socket; the corner of the eye
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 眥

眥Simplified
11Strokes
目Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 眥

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Podcast: 眥

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AI Study Notes for 眥

Usage Notes

This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may appear more in written or specialized contexts. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding words, and note that it is more formal in usage.

HSK Study Tips

Since 眥 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, focus on related words that contain the eye radical, like 眼 (yǎn, eye) or 目 (mù, eye). Understanding these connections will aid in vocabulary expansion.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 眥 with other eye-related characters like 眼 (yǎn). For example, using 眼 instead of 眥 when referring specifically to the corner of the eye is incorrect; 眥 should be used in that context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 眥

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Etymology of 眥

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

eye

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 眥

  1. 1The meaning half目 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half此 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 眥? 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 眥?

Decomposition of 眥

IDS Structure⿱此目
眥Full Character
=
此ci3
top
目mu4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 眥?

How to say eye socket; the corner of the eye in Chinese

“eye socket; the corner of the eye” in Chinese is眥zì

The character 眥 (zì) refers specifically to the eye socket or the corner of the eye. It is often used in anatomical or medical contexts, as well as in literary descriptions of facial features.

When to use 眥

This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation and may appear more in written or specialized contexts. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding words, and note that it is more formal in usage.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 眥 with other eye-related characters like 眼 (yǎn). For example, using 眼 instead of 眥 when referring specifically to the corner of the eye is incorrect; 眥 should be used in that context.

Write 眥

眥

Practice writing 眥 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 眥

Words Containing This Character2
眦zìcanthus眥
发指眦裂in a towering rage髮指眥裂
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 眦 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 眥

It is pronounced as 'zì'.

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