HSK 7, v, 17 strokes, radical 目, rank #8119, Very Hard
瞪
dèng
to stare at
HSK 7, v, 17 strokes, radical 目, rank #8119, Very Hard
瞪
dèng
to glare at
HSK 7, v, 17 strokes, radical 目, rank #8119, Very Hard
dèng(deng4) T4
1to open (one's eyes) wide
2to stare at
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March 24, 2026
瞪dèng(deng4)
The verb 瞪 (dèng) means to open one’s eyes wide, often in a context of surprise, anger, or intense focus. It is commonly used to describe the action of staring or glaring at someone or something, often with a strong emotional charge. This term can convey feelings of disbelief or confrontation.
Strokes17Radical目Frequency#8119DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the act of staring or glaring can often be a sign of strong feelings, such as anger or disapproval, which might lead to social tension. This is particularly evident in situations where maintaining face or harmony is important.
Memory Tip
Imagine a big, round eye opening wide in shock, like a startled owl. The character 瞪 has the eye radical (目) symbolizing vision, paired with the action of glaring, making it easy to remember that this word relates to intense looking.
Meanings of 瞪
dèng(deng4)
1to open (one's eyes) wide
2to stare at
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 瞪
瞪Simplified
17Strokes
目Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#8119Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2
Podcast: 瞪
Podcast: 瞪
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AI Study Notes for 瞪
Quick Contrast
瞪 (dèng) vs 盯 (dīng) — use 瞪 when expressing a wide-eyed stare, often due to surprise or anger, while 盯 indicates a fixed stare, usually implying focus or attention.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of the context when using 瞪, as it can imply aggression or disapproval. It's more informal and typically used in everyday conversation rather than formal writing. Common collocations include 瞪眼 (dèng yǎn - to stare) and 瞪着 (dèng zhe - staring at).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 6 word, 瞪 connects well with other verbs describing actions related to vision and perception, such as 看 (kàn - to see) and 望 (wàng - to look). Focus on using it in sentences that convey strong emotions or reactions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 瞪 with 看 (kàn), leading to incorrect phrases like '我瞪书' (Wǒ dèng shū - I stare at the book) instead of using 看. Remember, 瞪 is specifically for intense staring or glaring.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 瞪
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Phonosemantic compound. 目 represents the meaning and 登 represents the sound.
1The meaning half目 carries the sense.
2The sound half登 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayeye
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 瞪? 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 瞪?
Decomposition of 瞪
IDS Structure⿰目登
瞪Full Character
=
目mu4
left
登deng1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 瞪?
How to say to open (one's eyes) wide in Chinese
“to open (one's eyes) wide” in Chinese is瞪dèng
The verb 瞪 (dèng) means to open one’s eyes wide, often in a context of surprise, anger, or intense focus. It is commonly used to describe the action of staring or glaring at someone or something, often with a strong emotional charge. This term can convey feelings of disbelief or confrontation.
When to use 瞪
Be mindful of the context when using 瞪, as it can imply aggression or disapproval. It's more informal and typically used in everyday conversation rather than formal writing. Common collocations include 瞪眼 (dèng yǎn - to stare) and 瞪着 (dèng zhe - staring at).
瞪 or something close to it
瞪 (dèng) vs 盯 (dīng) — use 瞪 when expressing a wide-eyed stare, often due to surprise or anger, while 盯 indicates a fixed stare, usually implying focus or attention.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 瞪 with 看 (kàn), leading to incorrect phrases like '我瞪书' (Wǒ dèng shū - I stare at the book) instead of using 看. Remember, 瞪 is specifically for intense staring or glaring.
Write 瞪
瞪
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Practice writing 瞪 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 瞪
瞪 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. 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 5
Complete the Sentence
她低头____着我，一脸怒气。
She glared down at me with a peevish expression on her face.
Example Sentences for 瞪 (10)
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1
她低头瞪着我，一脸怒气。
tā dī tóu dèng zháo wǒ， ， yī liǎn nù。
She glared down at me with a peevish expression on her face.
2
迈克尔狠狠地瞪了他一眼然后走开了。
mài kè ěr hěn hěn dì dèng le tā yī yǎn rán hòu zǒu kāi le。
Michael gave him a dirty look and walked out.
3
迈克尔狠狠瞪了那只狗一眼。
mài kè ěr hěn hěn dèng le nà zhī gǒu yī yǎn。
Michael gave the dog a stern look.
4
他们几乎目瞪口呆地看着那两个人朝他们走过来。
tā mén jī hū mù dèng kǒu dāi dì kàn zháo nà liǎng gè rén zhāo tā mén zǒu guò lái。
They watched almost open-mouthed as the two men came towards them.
