Chinese

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black eye
trad. (青眼)
simp. #(青眼)

Etymology

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From Book of Jin's account of Ruan Ji, a poet and musician famed his eccentricity:

禮俗白眼退 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
礼俗白眼退 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Jí yòu néng wèi qīng bái yǎn, jiàn lǐsú zhī shì, yǐ báiyǎn duì zhī. Jí Jī Xǐ lái diào, jí zuò báiyǎn, xǐ bùyì ér tuì. Xǐ dì kāng wén zhī, nǎi jī jiǔ xié qín zào yān, jí dàyuè, nǎi xiàn qīngyǎn. [Pinyin]
(Ruan) Ji could either show others his eyes' dark pupils or his eyes' whites; when meeting literati of etiquettes and customs (i.e. conventionalists), he only showed them his eyes' whites. Once Ji Xi came to offer condolences, (Ruan) Ji showed his eyes' whites (to Ji Xi), (Ji) Xi was displeased and left. (Ji) Xi's younger brother Kang heard that, so (Ji Kang) visited (Ruan Ji) bringing liquors and carrying a zither. (Ruan) Ji was overjoyed, and showed his eyes' dark pupils.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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青眼

  1. (archaic) the colored portion of the eye; iris
  2. (figurative) appreciation; favorable regard

Verb

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青眼

  1. (literary, figurative) to appreciate; to esteem

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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  • (antonym(s) of all senses): 白眼 (báiyǎn)

Japanese

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Kanji in this term
あお
Grade: 1

Grade: 5
kun'yomi
Alternative spelling
靑眼 (kyūjitai)
For pronunciation and definitions of 青眼 – see the following entry.
青目あおめ
[noun] blue eyes
[noun] Westerner
(This term, 青眼, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)