guā刮scrapemù目eyexiāng相each otherkàn看look
To treat someone with new respect; to look at someone with new eyes.
Literal meaning
scrape (刮) — eye (目) — each other (相) — look (看)
Origin
Originally used to describe someone who has made great progress or changed for the better. A classical four-character phrase.
Examples
shì士bié别sān三rì日，dāng当guā刮mù目xiāng相kàn看。
A scholar who has been away for three days must be looked at with new eyes.
Jīng经guò过jǐ几nián年de的nǔ努lì力，tā他qǔ取dé得le了hěn很dà大de的jìn进bù步，zhēn真ràng让rén人guā刮mù目xiāng相kàn看。
After several years of hard work, he has made great progress, which is really impressive.
Usage & nuances
Often used to express surprise and admiration at someone's improvement.
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