慈眉善目

címéishànmù

idiom #77,437

Meanings

1 kind-faced and benign-looking
2 to have a kind, gentle countenance

Characters

Examples

这位老奶奶慈眉善目，特别和蔼。

Zhè wèi lǎo nǎinai címéi shànmù, tèbié hé'ǎi.

This grandma has such a kind face — she's especially gentle.

他看起来慈眉善目，其实心机很深。

Tā kànqǐlái címéi shànmù, qíshí xīnjī hěn shēn.

He looks kind-faced and benign, but actually he's very calculating.

Tips

history

Used by Lao She in 《老张的哲学》: 圆圆的脸，长满银灰的胡子，慈眉善目的 ('round face, full silver-grey beard, kind-eyed and benign').

usage

Describes appearance, not character — often used precisely when someone LOOKS kind but isn't (set up for irony).

Stroke Order

慈 cí

眉 méi

善 shàn

目 mù