miǎo

眇

Character · Adjective

blind; tiny; minute

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

2 senses · 6 examples
1.

adjective

blind (originally in one eye, later in both eyes)

archaic

Literary term for blindness; rarely used in modern spoken Chinese except in set phrases or classical references.

Miǎo眇
néng能
shì视
 ，
bǒ跛
néng能
lǚ履
 。

Though blind, he can see; though lame, he can walk. (from I Ching, describing apparent paradoxes)

Tā他
de的
zuǒ左
mù目
yǐ已
miǎo眇
duō多
nián年
 。

He has been blind in his left eye for many years.

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miǎo眇
shì视

to look at with blind eyes; to overlook; to despise

2.

adjective

tiny; minute; insignificant

literary

Literary usage, often appearing in reduplicated form 眇眇 or in phrases like 眇乎. Used in classical texts to express humility or smallness.

Miǎo眇
hū乎
xiǎo小
zāi哉
 ，
suǒ所
yǐ以
shǔ属
yú于
rén人
yě也
 。

How tiny is what belongs to man! (from Zhuangzi)

Miǎo眇
miǎo眇
zhī之
shēn身
 ，
tuō托
yú于
wáng王
gōng公
zhī之
shàng上
 。

This insignificant self is placed above kings and dukes. (humble self-reference)

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miǎo眇
xiǎo小

tiny; insignificant