Dictionary › 眼观四面，耳听八方

眼观四面，耳听八方

yǎn guān sì miàn , ěr tīng bā fāng

9-character word Traditional 眼觀四面，耳聽八方

What 眼观四面，耳听八方 means

1. lit. the eyes observe all sides and the ears listen in all directions (idiom)
2. fig. to be observant and alert

The characters in 眼观四面，耳听八方

• 眼yǎneye; (often used with 一; small hole
• 观guānto look at; to watch; to observe
• 四sìfour; 4
• 面miànface; side; surface
• 耳ěrear; handle (archaeology); and that is all (Classical Chinese)
• 听tīngto listen to; to hear; to heed; to obey; a can (loanword from English "tin")
• 八bāeight
• 方fāngsquare; power or involution (math.); upright