noun HSK 6
iris (of the eye)
Meaning
虹膜 refers to the colored, circular membrane in the eye that surrounds the pupil and controls the amount of light entering the eye. The term literally combines 虹 (rainbow) and 膜 (membrane), referring to its distinctive colored appearance.
Usage
This is a formal, technical term primarily used in medical, biological, and security contexts (such as iris scanning technology). In everyday conversation, people rarely need to refer to the iris specifically, though it appears in discussions about eye anatomy, biometric identification, and ophthalmology.
Examples
- 01现在很多手机都使用虹膜识别技术来解锁。.Many smartphones now use iris recognition technology to unlock.
- 02每个人的虹膜图案都是独一无二的，就像指纹一样。' , .Each person's iris pattern is unique, just like fingerprints.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个虹膜
Common collocations
- 虹膜识别iris recognition/scanning
- 虹膜炎iritis (inflammation of the iris)
- 虹膜颜色iris color
- 虹膜扫描iris scan
Origin
The term combines 虹 (rainbow) with 膜 (membrane), creating a vivid metaphor for the colorful, circular membrane of the eye that resembles the multicolored bands of a rainbow.