Translation guide
In Japanese, describing someone as having 'blue eyes' is straightforward, but the phrasing depends on whether you're talking about eye color as a physical trait, a poetic description, or a characteristic of a person. The most common and natural way is to use 青い目 (aoi me).
Describing someone's eye color as blue in a neutral, factual way.
The standard, most common way to say 'blue eyes'. 青い (aoi) means 'blue' and 目 (me) means 'eye(s)'. This is neutral and can be used in most contexts.
彼女は青い目をしている。
She has blue eyes.
青い目の人形
a doll with blue eyes
A slightly more descriptive phrasing, literally 'eyes are blue'. Often used in relative clauses or when the eye color is the focus.
目が青い猫
a cat with blue eyes
Uses the loanword ブルー (buruu) for 'blue'. Common in fashion, beauty, or when emphasizing a specific shade. Slightly more modern/casual feel.
ブルーの目が印象的ですね。
Your blue eyes are striking.
A literary or formal term for 'blue eyes'. Often used in written descriptions, poetry, or to sound elegant. Not common in everyday speech.
碧眼の美少女
a beautiful girl with blue eyes
Referring to a person by their blue eyes, e.g., 'the blue-eyed man'.
The most natural way to say 'a person with blue eyes'. The pattern [color] + 目の + [person] is very productive.
あの青い目の人は誰ですか？
Who is that person with blue eyes?
A slightly more descriptive alternative, literally 'a person who has blue eyes'. It emphasizes the state of having blue eyes.
青い目をした男の子が立っていた。
A boy with blue eyes was standing there.
Using 'blue eyes' in a poetic, romantic, or metaphorical sense.
瞳 (hitomi) means 'pupil' or 'eye' but carries a more poetic, emotional nuance than 目. Often used in songs, literature, or when describing beautiful, deep eyes.
彼女の青い瞳に吸い込まれそうだ。
I feel like I'm being drawn into her blue eyes.
Uses the kanji 碧 (ao/heki) which specifically refers to a deep blue or blue-green color, often associated with jewels or the sea. Very poetic and literary.
碧い瞳の少女
the girl with deep blue eyes
In Japanese, 青 (ao) can sometimes refer to green, especially in certain contexts like traffic lights or vegetables. However, for eye color, 青い目 unambiguously means blue eyes. For green eyes, use 緑の目 (midori no me).
The pattern [color] + い + 目 is standard for most colors: 黒い目 (black/dark brown eyes), 茶色い目 (brown eyes), 灰色の目 (gray eyes). Note that some colors use の instead of い.