sanpaku

English

Etymology

Uncle Sam depicted with an intense gaze exhibiting sanpaku.

Borrowed from Japanese 三白 (sanpaku, “three whites”) or 三白眼 (sanpaku gan, “three-white eyes”).

Noun

sanpaku (uncountable)

1. The presence of visible white space (sclera) above or below the iris of the human eye, traditionally supposed in China to indicate physical or mental imbalance.
   • 1984, William Gibson, Neuromancer (Sprawl; book 1), New York, N.Y.: Ace Books, →ISBN, page 10:

     A millimeter of white showed beneath each of her pupils. Sanpaku.

Further reading

• sanpaku on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• pukanas