As you may know, there are tons of Japanese idioms and expressions with the names of body parts. Today, let’s look at 10 commonly used idioms with 目, the EYE.
目を通す Skim through
[me o toosu] Literally: To let the eyes pass.
明日までに書類に目を通しておいてくださいね。
Please read through the papers by tomorrow.
さっと目を通したんですが、面白そうな本ですよ！
I just quickly skimmed this book, it looks interesting!
目がない Be crazy about something
[me ga nai] Literally: There is no eye.
甘いものに目がなくて、毎日スイーツを食べています。
I’m crazy about sweets and I eat them every day.
妻はキラキラしたものに目がないので、今年の誕生日に宝石の指輪をプレゼントしました。
My wife is obsessed with shiny things so I gifted her a jeweled ring on her birthday this year.
目が冴える Be totally awake
[me ga saeru] Literally: The eyes become wakeful.
なんだか目が冴えちゃって、眠れない。
I feel awake and cannot fall asleep.
さっきコーヒーを飲んだから目が冴えてきました。
I’m getting to feel awake as I drank some coffee earlier.
目が離せない Cannot take the eyes off
[me ga hanase nai] Literally: Cannot detach the eyes.
１歳の息子はいま色々なものに興味があってすぐ口に入れてしまうので目が離せません。
I cannot take my eyes off my 1-year-old son as he is interested in many things and tries to put everything in his mouth.
この映画はストーリーが面白くて、最後まで目が離せませんでした！
This film has a very interesting storyline and was very gripping until the end!
白い目で見る Look coldly
[shiroi me de miru] Literally: To watch with white eyes.
日本の電車の中で電話で話をしていたら、周りの人に白い目で見られた。
I was talking on the phone in Japan and people gave me a dirty look.
度重なる政治家の汚職事件のニュースを、父が白い目で見ていました。
My father was watching with a cold eye the news about the repeated politicians’ corruption cases on TV.
長い目で見る Take a long-range view
[nagai me de miru] Literally: To see with the long eyes.
長い目で見れば、高くてもクオリティの高い服を買うほうがいいと思います。
In the long term, I think it’s better to buy higher quality clothes even if they are expensive.
ビジネスを成功させるために、長い目で見ながらやるべきことをコツコツとやっていこうと思う。
In order to make my business a success, I will do the necessary steps with a long-term perspective.
見る目がある Have an eye for something
[Miru me ga aru] Literally: To have the eyes to see.
小林さんの旦那さんて、優しくて素敵な人だよね！人を見る目があるよね。
Kobayashi-san’s husband is a kind and nice person, isn’t he? She has a good eye for men.
あのディレクターは見る目があります。彼女がスカウトした人はみんな着実にキャリアを積んでいます。
That director has an eye for recruiting. All the people she hired are gradually leveling up their careers.
目が回る Feel dizzy, giddy
[me ga mawaru] Literally: The eyes turn around.
毎日、目が回るほど忙しいです。
Every day, I’m crazily busy.
猛暑の中走ったら目が回ってしまいました。
I got dizzy after running in the heat wave.
目が点になる Look surprised or amazed
[me ga ten ni naru] Literally: The eyes become a dot.
会議で新井さんが的外れな発言をしたのでみんな目が点になっています。
Mr. Arai said something besides the point during the meeting and everybody looks amazed.
あまりに迫力のある路上パフォーマンスを見て、友達は目が点になっていました。
My friend was so surprised by such a powerful street performance.
大目に見る To be tolerant, overlook someone’s mistake
[oome ni miru] Literally: To see as a big eye.
小さなミスだから今回は大目に見るけど、次回は気をつけてね。
I will overlook your mistake this time as it was not a big one, but be cautious next time.
仕事でミスをしてしまったんですけど、今回は上司が大目に見てくださいました。今後はもっと気をつけたいと思っています。
I made a mistake at work but my boss kindly tolerated this time. I will be extra cautious from now on.
Featured photo by Richard Štefún from Pexels
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