睁 (zhēng) - To open (eyes) & to stare

睁Tone 1

zhēng ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

丈志

睁 · zhēng

To open (eyes);

to stare;

to gaze with wide-open eyes.

To open (eyes)to stareto gaze with wide-open eyes.

Usage highlights

Open eyesOpen eyes wideStare angrilyWideOpen one's eyesTurn a blind eye

Synonyms

  • 开— to open (general)
  • 张— to open (as in 张开眼睛)

Antonyms

  • 闭— to close (eyes)
  • 合— to shut (eyes)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He opened his eyes wide (睁开眼睛).
  • She stared in disbelief (睁大眼睛).
  • The child gazed with wide eyes (睁眼注视).
  • He pretended not to see (睁一只眼闭一只眼).

Collocations

  • Open eyes(睁眼)
  • Open eyes wide(睁大眼睛)
  • Stare angrily(怒睁)
  • Wide-eyed(眼睁得大大的)
  • Open one's eyes(睁开眼睛)
  • Turn a blind eye(睁一只眼闭一只眼)

Idioms

  • Turn a blind eye(睁一只眼闭一只眼)
  • Eyes wide open in anger(怒目圆睁)
  • Open eyes and stare(睁眼注视)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 睁 is often used in contexts describing sudden awareness or realization, as in 'opening one's eyes' to the truth.
  • In Chinese idioms and colloquial expressions, 睁 is associated with vigilance, attention, or sometimes willful ignorance (as in the phrase 'turn a blind eye').
  • The character combines the eye radical (目) with the phonetic component 争, suggesting the action of 'struggling' or 'striving' to see.

FAQ