眼
眼·eye
- On-yomi
- ガンゲン
- Kun-yomi
- まなこ
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 眼科 | がんか | ophthalmology, eye clinic |
| 眼鏡 | めがね | glasses |
| 肉眼 | にくがん | the naked eye |
| 眼 | まなこ | eye (literary) |
Example sentences
眼鏡をかけないと字が読めない。
めがねをかけないとじがよめない。
I can't read without my glasses.
その星は肉眼でも見えるそうだ。
そのほしはにくがんでもみえるそうだ。
They say that star is visible even to the naked eye.
目が赤いので眼科で診てもらった。
めがあかいのでがんかでみてもらった。
My eyes were red, so I had them looked at by an eye doctor.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 眼鏡 as がんきょう in everyday speech — the normal word is めがね
- Using 眼 where 目 is natural — 眼 is the clinical or literary word
Memory aid
Picture it
An eye (目) plus 艮 'to stop and stand firm' — the eye fixed in a hard stare.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 眼 mean?