眯 (mī) - to narrow one's eyes & to squint

眯Tone 1

mī ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

伦妙

眯 · mī

to narrow one's eyes;

to squint;

to take a nap;

(dialectal) to close one's eyes

to narrow one's eyesto squintto take a nap

Usage highlights

squint eyestake a napnarrow eyes into slitssquint atclose eyes slightlysmile with narrowed eyes

Synonyms

  • 睨— to look askance; to squint
  • 瞟— to glance sideways; to peek

Antonyms

  • 瞪— to stare wide-eyed
  • 睁— to open eyes wide

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She squinted in the bright sunlight (眯着眼睛).
  • He took a short nap after lunch (眯了一会儿).
  • The cat narrowed its eyes contentedly (猫满意地眯起眼睛).
  • Don't close your eyes during the exam (考试时别眯眼).

Collocations

  • squint eyes(眯眼)
  • take a nap(眯一会儿)
  • narrow eyes into slits(眯成一条缝)
  • squint at(眯着眼看)
  • close eyes slightly(微微眯眼)
  • smile with narrowed eyes(笑眯眯)

Idioms

  • Beaming with smiles(笑眯眯)
  • Narrowing eyes to see clearly(眯眼细看)
  • Squinting and smiling(眯眼笑)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character often conveys a relaxed, contented expression in Chinese culture.
  • 眯眼 (squinting) can indicate various emotions from pleasure to suspicion depending on context.
  • In some dialects, 眯 means simply closing one's eyes, not necessarily squinting.

FAQ