‘怒睁’ is a compound verb meaning 'to glare'—specifically, to open one’s eyes wide in anger or intense indignation. The first character 怒 (nù) means 'anger' or 'fury', and the second character 睁 (zhēng) means 'to open (the eyes)'. Together, they vividly convey the physical manifestation of rage: flared nostrils may accompany it, but the defining action is the forceful, wide-eyed stare that signals suppressed or erupting fury. It’s more dramatic and literary than everyday verbs like ‘瞪’ (dèng, to stare), often appearing in descriptive writing, fiction, or dramatic dialogue.

This word emphasizes intensity and emotional charge rather than mere visual focus. It’s commonly used to depict characters—human or animal—who are confronting a threat, expressing outrage, or preparing for confrontation. Because it carries strong emotional weight and a slightly archaic or stylistic tone, it appears more frequently in written narratives than casual speech. Learners should note that it’s almost always followed by an object (e.g., 怒睁双眼) or used in a predicate position with adverbial modifiers.