The message that the advertisement intended to convey got through to me at once. Panda eyes, to me, refers to a person who suffers from lack of sleep or fatigue so much so that he has got dark circles under his eyes. Hence resembling a panda in some sense.
This is not an uncommon word being used in Singapore only. I took a look at Google to get an idea of how widespread the use of this phrase is, and it seems rather commonplace and not restricted to a certain location. However, while the OED has recorded similar usages of the word panda in descriptions like panda car and panda crossing, it does not have panda eyes.
From the OED:
panda, n.13. In extended use, with reference to the black-and-white markings of a giant panda.
a. In the U.K.: a type of pedestrian crossing distinguished by black-and-white chevrons marked on the road, and having traffic warning lights activated by people wishing to cross. More fully panda crossing.
b. Brit. colloq. More fully panda car. A police patrol car having a broad white stripe painted on a dark background. Also attrib.
And so I was wondering.. should dictionary entries of panda include the usage of panda eyes? Well, the urban dictionary has an entry for panda eyes.
Panda eyes
1. Someone who has had a lack of sleep, resulting in dark circles under their eyes.
2. Obtained from sitting in the sun whilst wearing sun glasses. The sun glasses protect the eye socket area from the sun, whilst tanning the uncovered parts of the face. This results in an unbalanced tan, "Panda Eyes"
3. Work-a-holic. Someone who has a lack of sleep from working too much.
The American dictionaries don't seem to have anything on panda eyes though. Perhaps it is less used in American contexts?
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