睥睨

睥睨

1. (literary) to look disdainfully out of the corner of one's eye
2. (literary) to spy upon

   • 其旁古木數十，其大皆百圍千尺，不可加以斤斧。子瞻與客每至其下，輒睥睨終日。
     其旁古木数十，其大皆百围千尺，不可加以斤斧。子瞻与客每至其下，辄睥睨终日。

     From: 1082, Su Zhe,《武昌九曲亭記》, translated based on Xu Yingcai's version

     Qí páng gǔmù shùshí, qí dà jiē bǎi wéi qiān chǐ, bùkě jiā yǐ jīnfǔ. Zǐzhān yǔ kè měi zhì qí xià, zhé pìnì zhōngrì.

     Standing right next to it are a dozen ancient trees, each of which is a hundred feet in circumference and a thousand feet in height — too gigantic to be applied to axes. Every time my brother comes here, he can't help sizing them up for a long time.

   • 至於長洲之濱，故城之墟，曹孟德、孫仲謀之所睥睨，周瑜、陸遜之所騁騖，其流風遺跡，亦足以稱快世俗。
     至于长洲之滨，故城之墟，曹孟德、孙仲谋之所睥睨，周瑜、陆逊之所骋骛，其流风遗迹，亦足以称快世俗。

     From: 1083, Su Zhe,《黃州快哉亭記》, translation based on Richard E. Strassberg's version

     Zhìyú Chángzhōu zhī bīn, gùchéng zhī xū, Cáo Mèngdé, Sūn Zhòngmóu zhī suǒ pìnì, Zhōu Yú, Lù Xùn zhī suǒ chěngwù, qí liúfēng yíjì, yì zúyǐ chēngkuài shìsú.

     Along the shores of the long islands and by the ruins of the former city wall, Cao Cao and Sun Quan spied on each other in anticipation; Zhou Yu and Lu Xun sallied forth. The memory of their heroism and the traces of their exploits still excite people today.

• (to look disdainfully out of the corner of one's eye): 介倪 (jièní)

睥睨

1. (literary) crenelated parapet wall