How to Write 眚 (shěng) — Meaning “cataract; error; disaster”

Imagine a cow (生 looks like a cow with a long tail) that has a problem with its eye (目), causing a cataract or leading to a disaster. This visual of a cow with a cloudy eye helps recall both the shape and the meaning of eye disease or calamity.

The top part 生 must be written with three horizontal strokes and a vertical stroke down through them, while the bottom 目 should be narrower than the top. A common mistake is making the 目 too wide or misaligning the vertical stroke of 生 with the center of 目.

Both 眚 and 盲 relate to eye problems, but 盲 (máng, blind) means complete loss of sight, while 眚 specifically refers to a cataract or cloudiness in the eye. Visually, 盲 has 亡 (death) above 目, while 眚 has 生 (life) above 目, which helps distinguish the two.

眚 is not common in daily speech but appears in formal or literary contexts, especially in words like 眚灾 (natural disaster) and 灾眚 (calamity). It is also used in medical or historical texts to describe eye diseases such as cataracts.

Common words containing 眚 include: 眚灾 (shěng zāi) — natural disaster; calamity; 灾眚 (zāi shěng) — calamity; disaster; 眚目 (shěng mù) — eye disease; cataract.