乜

The character 乜 primarily functions as a pictogram depicting the action of squinting or looking sideways. Its simplified two-stroke form is visually derived from 目 (mù, eye), suggesting narrowed eyelids. Beyond this verb sense, 乜 also commonly serves as a Chinese surname. Lacking a standard radical-phonetic structure, it exemplifies how a minimalistic visual representation evolved into a formal lexical item and proper noun, using its distinct shape to convey both an expression and subsequent meanings.