眉目传情

Pronunciation: méi mù chuán qíng Literal meaning: Convey feelings through eyes

Origin & Usage

The idiom 眉目传情 (méi mù chuán qíng) is commonly used in classical Chinese literature to describe the subtle and non-verbal communication of emotions, particularly romantic feelings, through the eyes and facial expressions. This expression first appeared in the Yuan dynasty play 'The Romance of the Western Chamber' (《西厢记》) by Wang Shifu, where it depicted the silent exchange of affection between the characters Cui Yingying and Zhang Sheng. The characters 眉 (méi, eyebrows) and 目 (mù, eyes) emphasize the role of facial expressions, while 传 (chuán, transmit) and 情 (qíng, feelings) highlight the conveyance of emotions. In modern usage, this idiom is often employed to describe situations where people communicate their feelings without words, relying instead on the expressive power of their gaze and facial nuances.

Examples

English: "Their glances across the room spoke volumes about their unspoken affection."

Chinese: 他们的眼神交流中眉目传情。