睨 (nì) - to look askance & to squint sideways

睨Tone 4

nì ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

楠念

睨 · nì

to look askance;

to squint sideways;

to cast a sidelong glance, often with connotations of disdain, contempt, or casual observation.

to look askanceto squint sidewaysto cast a sidelong glance, often with connotations

Usage highlights

sidelong glancelook disdainfullyoblique observationcast a glance sidewayslook askancesquint at

Synonyms

  • 瞥— to glance briefly
  • 斜视— to look sideways
  • 侧目— to look sideways (often with suspicion)

Antonyms

  • 正视— to look directly at; face squarely
  • 直视— to look straight at

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He cast a sidelong glance (睨视) at the newcomer.
  • She looked disdainfully (睥睨) at the proposal.
  • The cat squinted (睨着) at the moving toy.
  • He observed obliquely (斜睨) the unfolding argument.

Collocations

  • sidelong glance(睨视)
  • look disdainfully(睥睨)
  • oblique observation(斜睨)
  • cast a glance sideways(顾睨)
  • look askance(睨望)
  • squint at(睨着)

Idioms

  • Looking askance with contempt(睥睨一切)
  • Looking sideways and laughing(睨而笑之)
  • High-spirited and looking askance(雄睨一世)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in classical literature to depict characters showing disdain, arrogance, or casual observation without direct eye contact.
  • The action of 'looking askance' can imply a judgmental or superior attitude in Chinese cultural context.
  • Commonly appears in descriptions of historical figures and literary characters to convey subtle emotional states.

FAQ