睨む

• Reading: にらむ
• Romaji: niramu
• Kanji breakdown: 睨 (gei/nira) — glare, stare, suspect
• Pronunciation: /ni.ɾa.mɯ/

Meaning

To glare at; to stare hard at; to fix with an intimidating gaze; to suspect or have an eye on someone.

A Group 1 (godan) verb. 睨む covers both the physical act of glaring (directing an intense, hostile gaze) and the figurative act of suspecting or keeping a watchful eye on something. In legal or investigative contexts, 睨んでいる (to have someone in one's sights) means to regard as a prime suspect. In everyday use, it describes the look one gives an annoying person or a challenging problem. The word conveys tension and focused intensity.

Examples

1. 審査員は選手の演技を食い入るように睨みながら、細かい採点をおこなった。 The judges scrutinised the athlete's performance with intense, unwavering gazes as they assigned their detailed scores.
2. 警察は以前から彼を容疑者として睨んでいたが、証拠が不十分だった。 The police had had him in their sights as a suspect for some time, but the evidence was insufficient.
3. 怒り心頭の父親が息子を静かに睨むと、部屋はしんと静まり返った。 When the furious father fixed his son with a quiet, hard stare, the room fell completely silent.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, crime fiction, sports, interpersonal conflict

Tone: negative

Origin & History

The kanji 睨 combines 目 (eye) and 兒 (child/figure), suggesting the image of an eye focused intently on a target. Its reading niramu has been used in Japanese since the classical period to describe a sustained, penetrating gaze.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical to Contemporary

Generation: All ages

Social background: General