眼神

• Pinyin: yǎn shén
• Hanzi breakdown: 眼 = 目 (eye) + 艮 (firm gaze); 神 = 示 (spirit/ritual) + 申 (extend/manifest — the divine spirit made manifest, here the inner spirit visible in the eyes)

Meaning

The look in one's eyes; one's gaze; the expression conveyed through the eyes. The emotional or psychological quality visible in a person's eyes or eye contact.

Captures the expressive quality of the eyes: 坚定的眼神 (a resolute gaze), 温柔的眼神 (a gentle look), 空洞的眼神 (a vacant stare), 锐利的眼神 (a piercing gaze). Central to literary description of characters and emotional states. Also used colloquially: 眼神不好 (poor eyesight or, figuratively, poor perception/judgement).

Examples

1. 老战士回忆起那段烽火岁月时，眼神中流露出一种难以言说的复杂情感，既有骄傲，也有沉痛，还有难以忘怀的思念。 When the old veteran recalled those years of war, a hard-to-describe mix of emotions showed in his eyes—pride, sorrow, and an unforgettable longing.
2. 这位演员最令观众印象深刻的，正是他能够仅凭眼神就将角色内心深处的矛盾与挣扎传递给银幕前的每一位观众。 What audiences remember most about this actor is his ability to convey a character’s deepest conflicts and struggles to every viewer using nothing but his eyes.
3. 孩子第一天送进幼儿园时，那双充满不安与期待交织的眼神，让母亲的心里久久难以平静。 On the child’s first day at preschool, the look in those eyes—an uneasy mix of anxiety and anticipation—left the mother’s heart unsettled for a long time.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, performance, psychology, interpersonal

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 一个优秀的演员能够通过微妙的眼神变化传递出人物复杂的内心世界，而无需借助过多的肢体动作或台词来辅助表达。(A skilled actor can convey a character's complex inner world through subtle shifts in their gaze, without needing too much physical movement or dialogue to assist expression.)
• 她在宣布这个消息时，眼神里透出的那种平静和笃定让所有人都相信，她已经在内心深处做好了应对任何结果的充分准备。(When she announced this news, the calm and certainty visible in her eyes convinced everyone present that she had already thoroughly prepared herself deep within for whatever outcome might come.)

Don't Say

• 你的眼神很好 — 眼神好 colloquially means 'good eyesight' or 'sharp eyes,' not 'you look nice'; to praise someone's expressive eyes say 你的眼神很有感染力; to mean sharp eyesight say 他视力很好 in formal contexts

Origin & History

眼 (eye) + 神 (spirit/divine essence — 示 spirit altar + 申 extend/manifest — the spiritual quality manifest in something)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal