also: はくがん
white of the eye
Anatomical term for the sclera, the white outer layer of the eyeball. Often contrasted with 黒目 (the pupil/iris).
See also: 黒目
彼は驚いて白目をむいた。
He rolled his eyes back in surprise, showing the whites.
She gave her subordinate a cold, disapproving look after his mistake.
白目の部分が充血している。
The white part of the eye is bloodshot.
cold, unwelcoming eyes
Describes a look that shows no warmth or friendliness, often implying suspicion, disdain, or rejection. Frequently used in the phrase 白目で見る (to look at someone coldly).
See also: 正眼
彼女は私を白目で見て、何も言わなかった。
She looked at me with cold eyes and said nothing.
新入社員は先輩たちの白目に耐えながら仕事を覚えた。
The new employee learned the job while enduring the cold stares of the senior staff.
He was so shocked that his eyes rolled back and he collapsed.
白眼視 is a する-verb meaning to view someone coldly or with contempt, expressing the same cold attitude that 白目 (in its 'cold eyes' sense) names as a noun.
黒目 refers to the dark pupil and iris, while 白目 refers to the white sclera surrounding it.
青眼 describes a warm, welcoming look, the opposite of the cold, rejecting stare called 白目.
Standard kanji spelling for the reading しろめ, used for both the anatomical sense and the figurative 'cold eyes' sense.
Alternate kanji spelling for しろめ; also read はくがん in some contexts.
Rare reading of 白眼, mostly encountered in literary or technical contexts.
Compound of 白 (しろ, 'white') and 目 (め, 'eye'). The figurative sense of 'cold eyes' likely derives from the idea of showing the whites of the eyes as a sign of disdain or rejection.