Translation guide
The state of being unable to see, or the metaphorical lack of awareness or understanding.
The condition of being unable to see due to physical or medical reasons.
The most common and neutral term for loss of eyesight, often used in medical or formal contexts.
彼は事故で失明した。
He lost his sight in an accident.
失明の原因は糖尿病だった。
The cause of blindness was diabetes.
Literally 'blind eyes', can refer to physical blindness but often carries a literary or metaphorical nuance. Less clinical than 失明.
盲目のピアニストが演奏した。
A blind pianist performed.
Visual impairment; a broader, more formal term that includes partial sight loss. Used in official and medical contexts.
視覚障害者用の点字ブロックがある。
There are tactile paving blocks for visually impaired people.
A bound morpheme meaning 'blind', used in compounds like 盲人 (blind person) or 盲学校 (school for the blind). Not used alone.
盲導犬が彼を助けている。
A guide dog is helping him.
Lack of awareness, understanding, or being oblivious to something obvious.
Commonly used metaphorically to describe being blind to facts, love, or one's own faults.
彼は自分の欠点に盲目だ。
He is blind to his own faults.
愛は盲目である。
Love is blind.
Literally 'eyes become cloudy', used figuratively for being blinded by emotions or losing clear judgment.
怒りで目が曇っていた。
I was blinded by anger.
To pretend not to see; willful blindness or turning a blind eye.
彼はいじめを見て見ぬふりをした。
He turned a blind eye to the bullying.
Ignorance; lack of knowledge. Not exactly 'blindness' but can overlap when meaning unawareness.
それは無知からくる過ちだ。
That is a mistake born of ignorance.
Momentary inability to see, such as from bright light or dizziness.
To be dazzled or have one's vision blurred temporarily, often from bright light or dizziness.
太陽の光で目がくらんだ。
I was blinded by the sunlight.
Flash blindness; a technical term for temporary vision loss caused by intense flash of light.
閃光盲は数秒で回復する。
Flash blindness recovers in a few seconds.
Inability to distinguish certain colors.
Difficulty seeing in low light.
Night blindness; the medical condition of poor vision in dim light.
夜盲症のため、夜の運転は危険だ。
Because of night blindness, driving at night is dangerous.
Colloquial term for night blindness, literally 'bird eyes' (birds see poorly at night).
私は鳥目で、暗いところが見えにくい。
I have night blindness and can't see well in the dark.
失明 is the standard medical term for loss of sight, often used in news and formal contexts. 盲目 can be physical but is more literary and frequently used metaphorically (e.g., 愛は盲目). For general 'blindness' as a condition, 失明 is safer.
失明の危機から救われた。
He was saved from the risk of blindness.
彼は権力に盲目になっている。
He is blind to power.
English 'blindness' is often used metaphorically (e.g., 'blindness to injustice'). Direct translation as 失明 would be incorrect. Use 盲目 or phrases like 見て見ぬふりをする instead.
Color vision deficiency; a more formal and medically accurate term.
色覚異常は男性に多い。
Color vision deficiency is more common in men.