ngaan5 zyu1眼珠
Jyutpingngaan5 zyu1
Yalengáahn jyū
Definition
Eyeball; the spherical organ of sight.
colloquialbody
How it's used
While technically referring to the entire eyeball, this term is frequently used in idiomatic expressions to describe intense emotions like shock or suspicion. It is distinct from 眼, which refers to the eye as a whole organ or the sense of sight. When describing the movement of the eye, speakers often focus on the rotation of the eye itself rather than just the gaze.
Measure word
nap1粒nāpExamples
He was so scared that his eyeballs almost popped out.
Related words
Common phrases
rolling eyes
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 眼球, which is the more formal or scientific term used in medical contexts. Using 眼珠 in a clinical setting might sound slightly informal or overly descriptive.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
