红眼 (hóng yǎn) literally means 'red eyes' and often refers to eyes that appear red due to irritation, lack of sleep, or certain health conditions. It can also be used metaphorically to describe someone who is angry or upset, evoking the image of someone with red, teary eyes.
HSK 7, rank #29621, Very Hard
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March 24, 2026
红眼()
红眼 (hóng yǎn) literally means 'red eyes' and often refers to eyes that appear red due to irritation, lack of sleep, or certain health conditions. It can also be used metaphorically to describe someone who is angry or upset, evoking the image of someone with red, teary eyes.
Frequency#29621DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, red is often associated with strong emotions, including anger. The phenomenon of 'red eyes' can also relate to the pressures of modern life, where many people experience sleep deprivation and stress.
Memory Tip
Imagine someone who hasn't slept well, their eyes are red like a ripe cherry. The character 红 (hóng) looks like a flame, representing the heat of anger, and 眼 (yǎn) resembles a pair of eyes peering through a veil of fatigue.
About 红眼
红眼Simplified
Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 红眼
Podcast: 红眼
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AI Study Notes for 红眼
Quick Contrast
红肿 (hóng zhǒng) - choose 红眼 when referring specifically to the appearance of eyes, while 红肿 is used for swelling or redness in other parts of the body.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine someone who hasn't slept well, their eyes are red like a ripe cherry. The character 红 (hóng) looks like a flame, representing the heat of anger, and 眼 (yǎn) resembles a pair of eyes peering through a veil of fatigue.
Usage Notes
While 红眼 is commonly used in informal contexts, be cautious about using it in formal writing, as it may come off as too casual. Common collocations include 红眼症 (hóng yǎn zhèng) for 'red-eye syndrome' and 红眼病 (hóng yǎn bìng) for 'red-eye disease.'
HSK Study Tips
Though 红眼 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects to basic character recognition for learners at HSK 1-3, focusing on color (红) and body parts (眼). Students should practice combining characters to form compound words.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, red is often associated with strong emotions, including anger. The phenomenon of 'red eyes' can also relate to the pressures of modern life, where many people experience sleep deprivation and stress.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 红眼 with 眼红 (yǎn hóng), which means 'to be envious.' For example, saying '我很红眼' (wǒ hěn hóng yǎn) instead of '我眼红' (wǒ yǎn hóng) can lead to misunderstanding.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 红眼
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Cultural Notes for 红眼
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, red is often associated with strong emotions, including anger. The phenomenon of 'red eyes' can also relate to the pressures of modern life, where many people experience sleep deprivation and stress.
Frequently Asked Questions about 红眼
It literally means 'red eyes'.
Yes, it can describe someone who is angry or upset.
It's generally more appropriate in informal contexts.
