Chinese word

眼色

Pronunciation

Pinyinyǎn sè

Meaning

  • nounsignal

Example

他说完就向我抛了个眼色。tā shuō wán jiù xiàng wǒ pāo le gè yǎn sè

After he finished speaking, he gave me a signal.

Illustration for 眼色 (signal)

More examples

大家都在看主席的眼色，才开始讨论下一项议题。dà jiā dōu zài kàn zhǔ xí de yǎn sè cái kāi shǐ tǎo lùn xià yí xiàng yì tí

Everyone waited for the chairperson's signal before starting the discussion of the next topic.

Core concept

A small change in the eyes that lets one person hint at something without speaking.

Common phrases

  • 抛眼色pāo yǎn sè

    give a signal with one's eyes

  • 使眼色shí yǎn sè

    signal with one's eyes

  • 看眼色行事kàn yǎn sè xíng shì

    act according to someone's cues

Similar words

眼神yǎn shén: The look in someone's eyes that shows feelings or attitude.
示意shì yì: A gesture or facial movement used to give a signal or draw attention.
暗示àn shì: An indirect hint that conveys a message without saying it openly.

Definition in Chinese

通过眼神或眼部表情向别人传达暗示、提示或试探性信息的行为或信号。tōng guò yǎn shén huò yǎn bù biǎo qíng xiàng bié rén chuán dá àn shì tí shì huò shì tàn xìng xìn xī de xíng wéi huò xìn hào

Word origin

眼 (yǎn, "eye") + 色 (sè, "appearance") builds the idea of an eye's outward look carrying an unstated meaning.

Usage tips

  • The intended message depends strongly on the recipient and situation, so the same look can suggest agreement, caution, or a private joke.

Other meanings

  • winknoun

Word lists with this word