眼色 yǎnsè signal made with one's eyes
signal made with one's eyes; meaningful glance
How to remember 眼色: 眼 eye + 色 color = signal made with one's eyes.
Characters
How it is used
- A meaningful glance used as a silent signal - 他给我使了个眼色，让我别说话 (tā gěi wǒ shǐ le ge yǎnsè, ràng wǒ bié shuōhuà) he shot me a look telling me to keep quiet.
- 看眼色 (kàn yǎnsè) means to read others' cues and act tactfully. Contrast 眼神, which is broader emotional expression, not necessarily a deliberate signal.