眼

Phono-semantic compound consisting of:

目 (눈 목) — semantic component, indicating relation to the eye or vision.

艮 (괘 이름 간) — phonetic component, pronounced gèn / gan, giving the sound yǎn and carrying the idea of “stopping” or “facing.”

目 + 艮 → 眼

Literally, “the part that faces and observes,” symbolizing the organ that perceives and reflects the external world.

眼睛 (안정) — eye (anatomical term)

眼光 (안광) — eyesight, vision; insight

眼神 (안신) — expression in one’s eyes

眼界 (안계) — field of vision; mental horizon

肉眼 (육안) — naked eye (without aid)

慧眼 (혜안) — wisdom eye; insight

雪眼 (설안) — bright eyes, keen vision

眼科 (안과) — ophthalmology

閉眼 (폐안) — to close one’s eyes

睜眼 (쟁안) — to open one’s eyes

In Confucian and Daoist writings, 眼 symbolizes the faculty of perception and moral awareness — the bridge between the inner mind (心) and the outer world (物).

心之所明，眼之所觀。

“What the heart illuminates, the eye perceives.”

The eye thus serves as both witness and mirror, reflecting not only the world but the state of one’s heart.

In Buddhist texts, 慧眼 (혜안) refers to the eye of wisdom, one of the five eyes (五眼) symbolizing stages of spiritual insight:

肉眼 — the physical eye

天眼 — the celestial eye (divine vision)

慧眼 — the wisdom eye (spiritual discernment)

法眼 — the dharma eye (seeing truth of phenomena)

佛眼 — the Buddha eye (omniscient vision)

以慧眼觀諸法，見其空寂。

“With the eye of wisdom, one sees that all dharmas are empty and still.”

Here, 眼 transcends the physical to symbolize enlightened awareness — clear, unobstructed seeing.

In classical poetry, 眼 often conveys emotion, vitality, and human connection.

It is “the gate of the spirit” (神之門).

明眼照心，無物可藏。

“The clear eye illumines the heart; nothing can be hidden.”

Thus, 眼 becomes not only a sensory organ but a metaphor for truth, sincerity, and clarity of being.