望眼欲穿
wàng yǎn yù chuān
to wait anxiously, watching and longing until one’s eyes nearly give out
Character by character
望wàng
gaze
gaze
眼yǎn
eyes
eyes
欲yù
about to
about to
穿chuān
pierce
pierce
Example
离高考出分还有三天，考生和家长都等得望眼欲穿。
There are three days until the exam results come out, and students and parents are on tenterhooks.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Usually 等得望眼欲穿 or 让人望眼欲穿, for people, news or a long-awaited product. It is close to 望穿秋水 (met in 《明月与离别》), which is more literary; today both can be half joking.
Learn this in Lesson 153 · HSK 7–9: 宝贝回家 (Bringing the children home)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
Open the lesson →