📖 Meaning
To communicate flirtatious intentions through eye contact and eyebrow movements. It describes the act of conveying affection or desire using only glances and subtle facial expressions rather than words.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom reflects classical Chinese descriptions of romantic flirtation found in poetry and vernacular literature. It combines the imagery of eyes (目) making overtures (挑) with eyebrows (眉) speaking (语), portraying silent communication between would-be lovers. Such expressions appear frequently in Ming and Qing dynasty romantic tales and drama. No single canonical source is recorded for this specific four-character combination.
💡 Example Usage
那二人目挑眉语，旁人早已看出端倪。
The two exchanged flirtatious glances, and bystanders could already see what was going on.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 目挑眉语
- Pinyin: mù tiāo méi yǔ
- Literal Translation: eyes, tease, eyebrows, speak
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4