眉开眼笑

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: méi kāi yǎn xiào
• English Translation: Beaming with joy (Grinning from ear to ear)
• Idiom Composition: 「眉」（Eyebrows）＋「开」（To open or relax (referring to the smoothing out of a furrowed brow)）＋「眼」（Eyes）＋「笑」（To smile or laugh）
• Meaning: A facial expression where the eyebrows relax and the eyes smile, indicating that a person is filled with joy, happiness, or satisfaction.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「眉开眼笑」 contains the following nuances:

• Visual Description of Emotion: The phrase emphasizes the visual manifestation of happiness on the face rather than just the internal psychological state of being 'happy.'
• Innocent and Carefree Joy: It carries a nuance of a heart free from worry, where the face brightens up because a burden has been lifted or a desire has been met.

3. Usage

「眉开眼笑」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Good news or profit: Used to describe the irrepressible joy felt when hearing good news or gaining an unexpected benefit.
  • Example:「一听到儿子考上了名牌大学，父母顿时眉开眼笑。」
    （Upon hearing that their son had been admitted to a prestigious university, the parents were immediately beaming with joy.）
• Interpersonal interactions: Describes a welcoming or pleasant expression when meeting someone. It can sometimes carry a slightly sarcastic tone, implying a fawning or calculating attitude.
  • Example:「老板一看到大客户进门，立马眉开眼笑地迎了上去。」
    （As soon as the shopkeeper saw the big client enter, he immediately went to greet them with a broad smile.）

Additional Examples:

1. 看着孙子吃得那么香，奶奶乐得眉开眼笑。
   （Seeing her grandson eating with such gusto, the grandmother was beaming with joy.）
2. 刚才还愁眉苦脸的他，一拿到奖金就眉开眼笑了。
   （He had a long face just a moment ago, but as soon as he received his bonus, he was all smiles.）
3. 这件事解决得很圆满，大家都眉开眼笑的。
   （This matter was resolved very successfully, so everyone is grinning from ear to ear.）
4. 他讲了一个笑话，逗得全场观众眉开眼笑。
   （He told a joke that had the entire audience beaming with joy.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• This idiom is a variation of 眉花眼笑 (méi huā yǎn xiào), which appears in the Yuan Dynasty drama Romance of the Western Chamber (西厢记).
• In Chinese literature, the eyebrows (眉) are considered a primary indicator of emotion. For example, 愁眉不展 (chóu méi bù zhǎn) describes 'furrowed brows' due to worry, while 眉开眼笑 (méi kāi yǎn xiào) shows the opposite—the 'opening' or smoothing of the brows in happiness.
• While usually positive, when used to describe a merchant seeing a customer or someone receiving a bribe, it can imply a slightly opportunistic or 'fawning' smile.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 喜笑颜开 (xǐ xiào yán kāi): To light up with a smile; used almost synonymously with 眉开眼笑 (méi kāi yǎn xiào).
  • 眉飞色舞 (méi fēi sè wǔ): To be enraptured; describes a look of great exultation where the eyebrows seem to 'dance' with excitement.
  • 兴高采烈 (xìng gāo cǎi liè): To be in high spirits and joyful.link
  • 合不拢嘴 (hé bù lǒng zuǐ): Unable to close one's mouth, often from smiling or laughing.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 愁眉苦脸 (chóu méi kǔ liǎn): To wear a distressed expression; to look miserable with knitted brows.link
  • 垂头丧气 (chuí tóu sàng qì): To be crestfallen or dejected; literally 'to hang one's head and lose spirit.'link

6. Summary

The idiom 眉开眼笑 (méi kāi yǎn xiào) describes a state where happiness is so intense it cannot be hidden and spreads across the entire face. It is frequently used in daily conversation to describe someone receiving good news or meeting someone they like. While generally positive, it can occasionally imply a sense of being 'smug' or 'opportunistically happy' depending on the context.