How to Write 瞵 (lín) — Meaning “to stare at; to gaze”

Picture a person with large eyes (目) who stares so hard that their eyes glow like fireflies (粦 resembles a mix of rice and a firefly's glow). This image helps link the character to intense staring.

Write the left radical 目 first with three short horizontal strokes inside, then the right part 粦. The right side has a top section like 米 and a bottom like 舛 — make sure the bottom is not too wide. A common mistake is writing 目 too small, unbalancing the character.

瞵 has the right side 粦 and means a neutral, intense gaze, while 瞋 (chēn) has the right side 真 and means to glare angrily. Visually, 瞋 is more common, but 瞵 is used in literary contexts for focused or predatory staring.

This character is rare in daily speech and appears mainly in classical poetry or formal writing. It is found in words like 瞵视 (to stare) and 瞵盼 (to look around), often describing a steady, penetrating look, such as a hawk's gaze or a person deep in thought.

Common words containing 瞵 include: 瞵视 (lín shì) — to stare at; to watch closely; 瞵盼 (lín pàn) — to look around; to gaze; 瞵瞵 (lín lín) — staring intently.