目睹

• Pinyin: mù dǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 目 = eye (pictograph); 睹 = 目(eye) + 者(one who, phonetic component) — to personally observe

Meaning

To witness with one's own eyes; to personally see an event or scene unfold.

Implies direct, firsthand visual experience, often of significant or noteworthy events. Common in legal, journalistic, and literary contexts where eyewitness credibility is important. Carries a slightly formal register.

Examples

1. 他亲眼目睹了那场严重的交通事故，事后很长一段时间仍难以从震惊中平复。 He witnessed the serious traffic accident with his own eyes, and for a long time afterward he still struggled to recover from the shock.
2. 记者们目睹了灾区人民在废墟中互帮互助的感人场面，纷纷记录下这一历史时刻。 Reporters witnessed the moving scene of people in the disaster area helping one another amid the ruins and recorded this moment in history.
3. 能够目睹这一重大历史事件的发生，是他此生最难忘的经历之一。 Being able to witness this major historical event unfold is one of the most unforgettable experiences of his life.

Usage Guide

Context: journalism, legal testimony, literature, history

Tone: serious/formal

Do Say

• 这位老人亲眼目睹了战争年代的种种苦难，他的讲述令在场的年轻人深受震撼。(This elderly man personally witnessed the hardships of the wartime era; his account deeply moved the young people present.)
• 警方向目睹事件经过的证人进行了详细问询，以还原事故发生的真实情况。(The police conducted detailed questioning of witnesses who personally saw the incident unfold, in order to reconstruct the true circumstances of the accident.)

Don't Say

• 把'目睹'用于听说或间接了解的事情 (目睹 strictly requires direct, personal visual experience — use 得知 or 听说 for information received indirectly)

Origin & History

目(eye/to see) + 睹(to look at/witness). Both characters relate to vision; the compound emphasises personal, direct visual experience.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal