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
He rolled his eyes back in surprise, showing the whites.
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
The white part of the eye is bloodshot.
She looked at me with cold eyes and said nothing.
The new employee learned the job while enduring the cold stares of the senior staff.
She gave her subordinate a cold, disapproving look after his mistake.
He was so shocked that his eyes rolled back and he collapsed.
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.