目不转睛

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: mù bù zhuǎn jīng
• English Translation: To stare with a fixed gaze (to be riveted)
• Idiom Composition: 「目」（Eye or sight）＋「不」（Not）＋「转」（To turn or shift）＋「睛」（Pupil or eyeball）
• Meaning: To gaze at something intently without moving one's eyes or blinking. It describes a state of being completely captivated, extremely focused, or shocked by a visual object.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「目不转睛」 contains the following nuances:

• Visual Fixation: The idiom emphasizes the physical state of the eyes. By 'not turning the pupils,' it highlights a high degree of visual concentration on a specific target.
• Psychological Absorption: Beyond the physical act of looking, it represents a mental state where the observer is completely absorbed, amazed, or stunned by what they are seeing.

3. Usage

「目不转睛」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Interest and Fascination: Used when someone is drawn to something interesting, rare, or attractive.
  • Example:「孩子们目不转睛地盯着魔术师的手，生怕错过任何细节。」
    （The children stared fixedly at the magician's hands, afraid of missing even the smallest detail.）
• Surprise and Shock: Used when witnessing an unexpected event or an unbelievable sight that leaves one stunned.
  • Example:「听到这个惊人的消息，他目不转睛地看着我，半天说不出话来。」
    （Upon hearing the shocking news, he gazed at me without blinking, unable to say a word for a long time.）
• Observation and Monitoring: Used when continuously watching a subject to ensure no changes are missed.
  • Example:「护士目不转睛地观察着病人的心电图监视器。」
    （The nurse is keeping a close watch on the patient's ECG monitor without taking her eyes off it for a second.）

Additional Examples:

1. 她目不转睛地看着橱窗里那件漂亮的婚纱。
   （She was riveted by the beautiful wedding dress in the shop window.）
2. 比赛到了关键时刻，观众们都目不转睛地注视着球场。
   （As the game reached its climax, the spectators all stared intently at the court.）
3. 小猫目不转睛地盯着墙上的飞虫，随时准备扑过去。
   （The kitten fixed its gaze on the insect on the wall, ready to pounce at any moment.）
4. 他正在目不转睛地读那封信，仿佛想从字里行间找出什么线索。
   （He is scrutinizing the letter, as if trying to find some clue between the lines.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Grammatical Function: It primarily acts as an adverbial modifier (状语), almost always appearing in the pattern 目不转睛地 (mù bù zhuǎn jīng de) followed by a verb like 看 (kàn - to look) or 盯 (dīng - to stare).
• Nuance Comparison: While similar to 聚精会神 (jù jīng huì shén), which means 'to concentrate one's spirit,' 目不转睛 (mù bù zhuǎn jīng) is specifically focused on the physical action of looking. It is not used for general mental concentration (like solving a math problem) unless there is a visual focal point.
• Usage Level: This is a very common idiom used frequently in both everyday spoken Chinese and formal writing.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 聚精会神 (jù jīng huì shén): To concentrate one's attention or spirit on something.link
  • 全神贯注 (quán shén guàn zhù): To be completely absorbed; to devote all of one's energy and attention to a task.
  • 如醉如痴 (rú zuì rú chī): To be enchanted or infatuated, as if drunk or obsessed.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 左顾右盼 (zuǒ gù yòu pàn): To glance right and left; to look around restlessly or hesitantly.link
  • 东张西望 (dōng zhāng xī wàng): To peer in all directions; to look around distractedly.link

6. Summary

目不转睛 (mù bù zhuǎn jīng) literally means 'not turning the pupils.' It is used to describe a person who is so focused or fascinated by what they see that their eyes remain fixed on a single point. It is most commonly used as an adverbial phrase, such as 目不转睛地看着 (mù bù zhuǎn jīng de kàn zhe), meaning 'to look at something without taking one's eyes off it.'