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道Nihongo Path
眉

眉·eyebrow

On-yomi
ビミ
Kun-yomi
まゆ

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

9 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
眉まゆeyebrow
眉毛まゆげeyebrow (the hair)
眉間みけんthe space between the eyebrows
白眉はくびthe finest example, the best of the lot

Example sentences

  1. 彼は話を聞きながら眉をひそめた。

    かれははなしをききながらまゆをひそめた。

    He frowned as he listened.

  2. 美容院で眉毛を整えてもらった。

    びよういんでまゆげをととのえてもらった。

    I had my eyebrows shaped at the salon.

  3. 父は眉間にしわを寄せて黙っていた。

    ちちはみけんにしわをよせてだまっていた。

    My father sat silent with his brow furrowed.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 眉間 as まゆま — it is みけん, using the rarer ミ reading
  • Reading 眉 in compounds as まゆ automatically — 白眉 is はくび

Memory aid

Picture it

Slanting hairs drawn right above the eye (目) — the strokes on top are literally the brow.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 眉 mean?