ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY

eye; item; to look

5 strokes · 目 — pictograph: an eye, stood upright · HSK 3

Where 目 comes from

The oracle bone form is an eye drawn sideways, pupil and all. Somewhere along the way scribes turned it upright to fit the square writing block, which is why the modern 目 looks like a window rather than an eye. The two inner strokes are still the pupil.

目 in Chinese culture

Modern Chinese usually says 眼睛 for a physical eye and keeps 目 for the figurative: 目的 (purpose, 'eye-target'), 目前 (at present, 'before the eyes'), 节目 (programme, an item on a list). 一目了然 means to grasp something at a single glance.

Example

目前 mùqián — at present; currently

目前还不清楚。
Mùqián hái bù qīngchu.
It is still not clear at present.

How to remember it

An EYE tipped upright — the two lines inside are the pupil.

目 is an eye rotated 90 degrees. Turn it back on its side and the oracle bone drawing reappears.

Same sound, different tones

2nd mú
mould; pattern
3rd mǔ
mother
4th mù
eye

Words unlocked by 目

目前 mùqián
at present
节目 jiémù
programme; show

Related characters

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