What does 一抹 mean?

Question

我看到他眼裡亮起一抹笑意。

First, what tone is "一" in 一抹 pronounced? Second, what does it mean? It seems to be a quantity based on 一, but 抹 means mop/clean so I don't know what it means here and how that describes a smiling eyes. Thanks.

Answer 1

一抹的拼音：[yī mǒ]

一抹笑意
the wisp of a smile

wisp: a slight trace of something

一抹笑意惊鸿

一点嫣红正浓

人愫情萌

Answer 2

What tone is "一" in 一抹 pronounced?

Pronunciation of 一抹 is yī mǒ.

about 抹 :

抹 has three pronunciations, mǒ, mò, and mā.

When pronounced with mǒ, 抹 means to gently wipe(轻轻擦拭), apply(涂抹), or wipe something(揩去某物) over a surface.

她用湿布轻轻地擦拭着壁炉。

She gently wiped the fireplace with a damp cloth.

不要在眼睛上涂抹药膏。

Don't apply ointment to the eye.

她用软布把书架上的灰尘抹去。

She wiped the dust off the bookshelf with a soft cloth.

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What does it mean?

我看到他眼里亮起一抹笑意。

also means 我观察到他的眼神中闪现出一丝微笑的表情。

From the perspective of traditional grammatical rules, 一 is a numeral, indicating that the quantity is one, and 抹 is a quantifier, indicating the degree of something. Used in combination, they express the state or degree of laughter as 一抹, emphasizing the slight(轻微的) and brief(短暂的) appearance of the smile.

In the sentence, 一抹 uses a metaphorical figure of speech. It uses an abstract, non-quantitative word 一抹 to describe the smile in the eyes, implying the subtlety and lightness of the smile, rather than directly and clearly expressing the degree of the smile. This adds to the expressiveness of the sentence and makes the description more vivid and imaginative.

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details of 一抹 :

The meaning of 一抹 is similar to 一条, 一缕 or 一片, and is used to describe traces(痕迹), colors, scenery(景色), etc. It can also be used to express the passing of a moment(一闪而过), emphasizing the brief or subtle appearance of something.

远处有一抹绿色的山丘。

There is a hint of green hills in the distance.

她的脸上抹了一道红晕。

A blush spread across her face.

荏苒岁月覆盖的过往，白驹过隙，匆匆的铸成一抹哀伤。

The passing years shroud the bygones, like the swift flight of a white colt through the narrow gap, hastily forging a touch of sorrow.