ngaan5 gwong1 gwong1眼光光

Jyutpingngaan5 gwong1 gwong1

Yalengáahn gwōng gwōng

副詞Uncommon

Definition

Wide awake and unable to sleep, or staring blankly with eyes wide open.

staring blankly; staring fixedly with eyes wide open
wide awake; unable to fall asleep

colloquialbodydaily actions

How it's used

This phrase captures the specific feeling of lying in bed with your eyes wide open while your mind is racing. It implies a state of restlessness or being lost in thought rather than just being alert. When used to describe staring, it suggests a vacant or unfocused gaze that can feel slightly intense or awkward to the person being watched.

Examples

keoi5佢seng4成maan5晚ngaan5眼gwong1光gwong1光，jyun4完cyun4全fan3訓m4唔zoek6着。

He was wide awake all night and couldn't sleep at all.

nei5你zou6做me1咩ngaan5眼gwong1光gwong1光mong6望zyu6住ngo5我aa4呀？

Why are you staring blankly at me?

Common phrases

ngaan5眼gwong1光gwong1光mong6望zyu6住

staring blankly at

seng4成maan5晚ngaan5眼gwong1光gwong1光

wide awake all night

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with the noun 眼光, which refers to one's vision, taste, or judgment. While they share the same characters, 眼光光 is strictly an adverbial phrase describing a state of being.