You’ve probably seen someone with that slightly haunting gaze, where the white of their eye shows either above or below the iris. That look is called sanpaku, a Japanese word that literally means “three whites.” Instead of just two sides of the iris being bordered by white, there are three.
To most people, it’s just a striking or unusual look, but historically, it’s been loaded with meaning. In old Japanese face reading, sanpaku eyes were thought to say something about what’s going on beneath the surface, spiritually, emotionally, or even physically.
What Are Sanpaku Eyes?
Sanpaku eyes are when the sclera (the white part of the eye) is visible above or below the iris. On a purely physical level, that’s all it is, just how the eye sits in the socket. But symbolically, it’s taken on a whole life of its own.
People have connected it with destiny, health, spirituality, and even psychic gifts. It’s one of those small physical details that somehow feels bigger than it looks.
Think of Billie Eilish’s intense, dreamy gaze, or Princess Diana’s famously soulful eyes… that’s the energy of sanpaku. It’s not just “pretty eyes,” it’s eyes that carry a kind of weight, like they’re looking past the surface of things into something deeper. There’s a haunting quality to them, as if the person is tuned into a frequency the rest of us don’t always catch.
Traditionally, sanpaku eyes are divided into two main types:
- Yin Sanpaku: when the white shows below the iris. This has often been linked to physical imbalance, exhaustion, or being “ungrounded.” People sometimes say it gives off a fragile or vulnerable vibe.
- Yang Sanpaku: when the white shows above the iris. This one is usually associated with emotional or mental struggles, overthinking, carrying too much tension, or feeling disconnected from the present moment.
Both kinds carry their own mystique. Some people see them as warning signs, others see them as marks of sensitivity or even hidden power. Either way, sanpaku eyes tend to stand out and leave an impression… they make you look twice, because something about them feels just a little otherworldly.
The Spiritual Meaning of Sanpaku Eyes
Spiritually, sanpaku eyes symbolize disharmony between the body, mind, and spirit, with the placement of the white hinting at where that disharmony shows up.
- When the white is below the iris, it’s often read as feeling ungrounded, physically drained, or unstable. Some say it points to difficulty staying rooted in the present.
- When the white is above the iris, it’s usually linked to mental overload, too much energy stuck in the head, overthinking, restlessness, or self-doubt.
Psychic Abilities
Sanpaku eyes can show psychic sensitivity. In older Japanese traditions, the way the iris sits against the eyelid was read like a map of spiritual qualities.
The idea is that people with sanpaku eyes may naturally pick up on energies or have intuitive gifts, but those gifts aren’t always grounded or balanced. It’s like having a spiritual antenna that picks up a signal, but without a clear channel. With growth and practice, though, those abilities can come into focus. Some even say that as a person balances themselves, their eyes shift too.
When it comes to love, people with sanpaku eyes are often said to have a sharp spiritual radar. They can sense what isn’t being said out loud, the secrets, the hidden feelings, even the things a partner might try to keep tucked away. Some believe this gaze carries the gift of seeing through façades, which means lies or infidelity are harder to hide from them. In relationships, their eyes don’t just look; they read.
Do Sanpaku Eyes Really Reveal Destiny?
There are plenty of dramatic claims online that sanpaku eyes mean a cursed fate, or that they predict tragedy. Realistically, it’s not that black and white.
Some spiritual circles do believe sanpaku eyes point to health challenges or a life full of obstacles. Others see it as more symbolic, not doom, but a sign of inner tension or untapped potential. Instead of a “destiny marker,” it can be read as an invitation to understand yourself better.
What About Death?
Old superstition says sanpaku eyes mean your life energy is out of alignment, and that this imbalance attracts misfortune or even an early death. That belief has stuck around mostly because a few famous people who died young had sanpaku eyes. But honestly? There’s no evidence for that. It’s more folklore than fact.
My Take
If you notice sanpaku eyes on yourself or someone else, don’t spiral into thinking it’s a curse. For a lot of people, it’s just genetics, literally the shape of the eye. But if you feel a spiritual connection to the symbolism, you can treat it as a signpost: maybe there’s something in your life that needs grounding, balance, or expression.
Sanpaku eyes don’t automatically mark someone as a witch, a psychic, or a tragic figure out of a movie. Sometimes eyes are just… eyes. And sometimes it’s astrology at play, like Billie Eilish, who’s a textbook Pisces rising with that dreamy, far-away gaze.
You don’t have to force a heavy mystical meaning onto it. But if the symbolism resonates with you, you can use it as a mirror, a way to look at your own energy, where you might feel off balance, and how you move through the world.
