眈

dān

gloat, stare at; delay, loiter, hinder

Meaning

Intense, fixed gaze: typically denotes staring with greed, predatory intent, or longing (e.g., gloating, eyeing a target).
To delay, loiter, or hinder.

Grammar and usage

Primarily functions as a verb of perception or a descriptive state.
Frequently appears in the reduplicated form 眈眈 as an adjective or adverb to describe predatory vigilance or covetousness.

Distinctions

Shares senses of "delay" and "loitering" with 耽. In these contexts, the glyph may be a phonetic loan for 耽, or it may imply a specific nuance where the delay is characterized by observation or vigilance ("watching and waiting").

Graphical notes

U+8EAD is a known graphical variant; it does not alter the semantic range.

Translator notes

When encountering senses of "delay" or "loitering," check the context: if the passage concerns time, procrastination, or indulgence, lean toward the sense of delay (likely a loan for 耽). If the context involves desire, rivalry, or hunting, lean toward the sense of a fixed gaze.

Decontextualized translator aid. This page describes plausible lexical range; it does not choose what the glyph means in a particular passage.