How to Write 瞇 (mī) — Meaning “To squint”

Imagine someone squinting their eyes tightly to try to see a single grain of rice on the floor. The image of eyes narrowing to the size of a rice grain helps link the left 'eye' radical with the right 'rice' part.

The left 目 radical should be narrow and vertical, while the right 米 should be slightly wider and balanced. A common mistake is making the 米 too small or crooked — ensure the vertical stroke of 米 aligns with the center of 目.

瞇 (mī) means 'to squint' — closing the eyes partially. 睃 (suō) means 'to glance sideways' (a quick sideways look), and 睇 (dì) means 'to look askance' or 'to glare'. The key difference is that 瞇 specifically refers to narrowing the eyelids, not just moving the eyes.

It is commonly used in phrases like 瞇眼 (mī yǎn, to squint) and 笑瞇瞇 (xiào mī mī, smilingly with squinted eyes), often describing a friendly or sleepy expression. Though not in the HSK list, it appears frequently in informal speech and literature.

Common words containing 瞇 include: 瞇眼 (mī yǎn) — To squint; 瞇一会 (mī yī huì) — To take a short nap; 笑瞇瞇 (xiào mī mī) — Smilingly (variant).