Chinese word

刺眼

Pronunciation

Pinyincì yǎn

Meaning

  • adjectiveglaring

Example

外面的光太刺眼了，我得戴帽子。wài miàn de guāng tài cì yǎn le wǒ děi dài mào zi

The light outside is too glaring, so I have to wear a hat.

Illustration for 刺眼 (glaring)

More examples

相机的闪光太刺眼，大家都被照得睁不开眼。xiàng jī de shǎn guāng tài cì yǎn dà jiā dōu bèi zhào de zhēng bù kāi yǎn

The camera flash was so dazzling that everyone was unable to open their eyes.

Core concept

Light or color hits the eyes so sharply that looking at it becomes uncomfortable.

Common phrases

  • 刺眼的屏幕cì yǎn de píng mù

    dazzling screen

  • 刺眼的闪光灯cì yǎn de shǎn guāng dēng

    dazzling flash

Similar words

耀眼yào yǎn: So bright or colorful that it stands out and catches the eye in an attractive way.
明亮míng liàng: Bright and clear, making a place or object easy to see rather than dark.

Definition in Chinese

使眼睛感到刺痛或难以直视的强光或强烈色彩的描述。shǐ yǎn jīng gǎn dào cì tòng huò nán yǐ zhí shì de qiáng guāng huò qiáng liè sè cǎi de miáo shù

Word origin

刺 (cì, "pierce") + 眼 (yǎn, "eye") forms a vivid compound for light or color that seems to prick the eyes.

Usage tips

  • For everyday descriptions, this word signals discomfort rather than simple brightness, so it fits harsh sunlight or a painfully vivid color better than a pleasant, well-lit room.

Opposites

Word lists with this word