Mandarin TempleCome for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
目睹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
目睹mùdǔto witnessHSK 7, v, 18 strokes, rank #5712, Very Hard
目睹mùdǔto see at first handHSK 7, v, 18 strokes, rank #5712, Very Hard
目睹mùdǔto see with one's own eyesHSK 7, v, 18 strokes, rank #5712, Very Hard
mùdǔ(mu4du3)mu du T4
  1. 1to witness
  2. 2to see at first hand
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

目睹mùdǔ(mu4du3)

目睹 (mùdǔ) means to witness or see something directly with one's own eyes. It is often used in contexts where the speaker emphasizes their firsthand experience of an event, making it more personal and impactful.

Strokes18Frequency#5712DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, firsthand witness accounts are often valued in storytelling and news reporting, as they lend credibility to the narrative. The expression 目睹 implies a deeper level of engagement with the event being described.

Memory tip

Think of 目 (mù) as 'eye' and 睹 (dǔ) as 'to see.' Imagine an eye witnessing a significant event, like a dramatic scene in a movie, making it unforgettable. This visual connection helps you remember the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 目睹

mùdǔ(mu4du3)
1to witness
2to see at first hand
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 目睹 means.

About 目睹

目睹Simplified
18Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#5712Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 目睹

JasonAmy

Podcast: 目睹

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 目睹

Quick Contrast

目击 (mùjī) - use 目睹 when emphasizing personal firsthand experience, while 目击 is more neutral and can refer to witnessing without the same personal implication.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 目睹 with similar verbs like 看到 (kàn dào), which simply means 'to see.' 目睹 carries a stronger connotation of witnessing something significant. It is more commonly used in formal contexts, such as news reports.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 目睹 connects well with other advanced vocabulary related to perception and experience. Focus on using it in complex sentences to describe events you've personally witnessed for better fluency.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is using 目睹 in contexts where a more casual term like 看到 would suffice, such as saying '我目睹了他的表演' (I witnessed his performance) instead of '我看到了他的表演.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 目睹

Premium — Locked

Tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 目睹, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsPitch drawing+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 目睹 to you

Let me explain 目睹 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 目睹 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

How well do you know 目睹?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 目睹 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Component characters

目mùeye
HSK 15 strokes目
View full entry
睹dǔto observe
13 strokes目
View full entry

How to say to witness in Chinese

“to witness” in Chinese is目睹mùdǔ

目睹 (mùdǔ) means to witness or see something directly with one's own eyes. It is often used in contexts where the speaker emphasizes their firsthand experience of an event, making it more personal and impactful.

When to use 目睹

Be cautious not to confuse 目睹 with similar verbs like 看到 (kàn dào), which simply means 'to see.' 目睹 carries a stronger connotation of witnessing something significant. It is more commonly used in formal contexts, such as news reports.

目睹 or something close to it

目击 (mùjī) - use 目睹 when emphasizing personal firsthand experience, while 目击 is more neutral and can refer to witnessing without the same personal implication.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is using 目睹 in contexts where a more casual term like 看到 would suffice, such as saying '我目睹了他的表演' (I witnessed his performance) instead of '我看到了他的表演.'

Write 目睹

目
睹

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar patterns of 目睹

目睹 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 4

Fill the gap

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

我们____了一家人正在收拾家当准备离开的凄惨景象。

We encountered the pathetic sight of a family packing up its home.

Example sentences for 目睹 (8)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我们目睹了一家人正在收拾家当准备离开的凄惨景象。

wǒmen mùdǔ le yījiārén zhèngzài shōushi jiā dāng zhǔnbèi líkāi de qī cǎn jǐngxiàng。

We encountered the pathetic sight of a family packing up its home.
2
这一描述似乎与我们目睹的情况不符。

zhè yī miáoshù sìhū yǔ wǒmen mùdǔ de qíngkuàng bùfú。

This description didn't seem to tally with what we saw.
3
他觉得在目睹行刑前还要上酒让人很不舒服。

tā juéde zài mùdǔ xíng xíng qián hái yào shàng jiǔ ràng rén hěn bù shūfu。

He found it distasteful to be offered drinks before witnessing the execution.
4
他所目睹的那一幕永久性地影响了他的神智。

tā suǒ mùdǔ de nà yī mù yǒngjiǔ xìng dì yǐngxiǎng le tā de shén zhì。

His reason had been permanently affected by what he had witnessed.
5
孩子们经常会目睹暴力事件，其数量之多令人不安。

háizi men jīngcháng huì mùdǔ bàolì shìjiàn， qí shùliàng zhī duō lìng rén bù’ān。

Too often children are witness to a disturbing amount of violence.
6
虽然她目睹了这可耻的一幕，但是这对他来说无关紧要。

suīrán tā mùdǔ le zhè kěchǐ de yī mù， dànshì zhè duì tā lái shuō wúguānjǐnyào。

The idea that she witnessed this shameful incident meant nothing to him.
7
电影中有几段几乎让人辛酸得不忍目睹。

diànyǐng zhōng yǒu jǐ duàn jīhū ràng rén xīnsuān de bù rěn mùdǔ。

The film contains moments of almost unbearable poignancy.
8
我亲眼目睹这场屠杀,真吓得毛发倒竖.

wǒ qīnyǎn mùdǔ zhè chǎng túshā, zhēn hè de máo fā dào shù.

I'm really terrified to witness the slaughter.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 目睹?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

Frequently asked questions about 目睹

While it's not incorrect, 目睹 is more formal and typically used in written or serious contexts, such as news articles.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 目睹?

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.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab