亲眼

• Pinyin: qīn yǎn
• Hanzi breakdown: 亲 = personally, self; 眼 = 目 (eye) + 艮 (tough) — eye

Meaning

With one's own eyes; personally witnessed. Emphasizes firsthand visual experience.

An adverb that emphasizes personal witnessing rather than secondhand information. Used to add credibility or emotional weight to accounts. Often paired with 看到 (see) or 目睹 (witness). Similar patterns exist: 亲耳 (with one's own ears), 亲手 (with one's own hands).

Examples

1. 我亲眼看到他把钱放进了那个抽屉里。 I saw with my own eyes that he put the money in that drawer.
2. 除非亲眼所见，否则我不会相信这种事。 Unless I see it with my own eyes, I won't believe such a thing.
3. 她亲眼目睹了整个事故的发生经过。 She personally witnessed the entire accident unfold.

Usage Guide

Context: testimony, emphasis, credibility

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 我亲眼见过。(I saw it with my own eyes.)
• 亲眼所见才能相信。(You have to see it with your own eyes to believe it.)

Don't Say

• 不要用'亲眼'描述听到的事情 (Don't use 亲眼 for things you heard — use 亲耳 for hearing)

Origin & History

Compound of 亲 (personal, self) and 眼 (eye). Together they mean 'with one's own eyes,' emphasizing direct visual experience.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal