眉开眼笑
眉开眼笑 (méi kāi yǎn xiào) literally means “brows open, eyes smile” and expresses “be all smiles; radiate happiness”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: mei kai yan xiao, mei kai yan xiao,眉开眼笑 meaning, 眉开眼笑 in english
Be all smiles; radiate happiness
Pronunciation: méi kāi yǎn xiào
Literal meaning: Brows open, eyes smile
Origin & Usage
This idiom describes brows (眉) opening (开) and eyes (眼) smiling (笑). It depicts the full facial expression of genuine happiness where both brows relax upward and eyes crinkle with joy. The phrase captures authentic emotion visible across the entire face. Modern usage describes obvious happiness, the kind of joy that involves the whole face and cannot be faked.
Examples
English: "Receiving the good news, her whole face lit up with happiness."
Chinese: 收到好消息，她眉开眼笑。
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 眉开眼笑 mean in English?
眉开眼笑 (méi kāi yǎn xiào) literally translates to “Brows open, eyes smile” and is used to express “Be all smiles; radiate happiness”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 眉开眼笑 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving be all smiles; radiate happiness.
What is the pinyin for 眉开眼笑?
The pinyin pronunciation for 眉开眼笑 is “méi kāi yǎn xiào”.