眼睁睁

眼睜睜

yǎnzhēngzhēng

adverb #6,087

Meanings

他眼睁睁地看着机会溜走了。

Tā yǎnzhēngzhēng de kàn zhe jīhuì liūzǒu le.

He watched helplessly as the opportunity slipped away.

我眼睁睁地看着公交车开走了。

Wǒ yǎnzhēngzhēng de kàn zhe gōngjiāochē kāizǒu le.

I watched helplessly as the bus drove away.

usage

眼睁睁 always implies frustration or helplessness — watching something happen without being able to intervene. Often followed by 地看着.

memory

Eyes (眼) wide open (睁睁) — staring but unable to act.

眼 yǎn

睁 zhēng