Translation guide
How to express the action of opening one's eyes wide in Japanese, from literal physical widening to figurative expressions of surprise or realization.
To physically widen one's eyes, often deliberately or as a natural reaction.
The most direct and natural way to say 'open one's eyes wide'. Used for deliberate actions or descriptions.
He opened his eyes wide in surprise.
Please open your eyes wide and look into the distance.
A more literary or intense way to say 'open one's eyes wide', often implying shock, fear, or strong emotion.
I opened my eyes wide in terror.
The verb itself, meaning 'to open one's eyes wide'. Often used in written narratives.
To express that someone is so surprised their eyes widen, often used idiomatically.
To express the moment of sudden understanding or awakening, often metaphorical.
How to instruct someone to open their eyes wide, e.g., during an exam or when applying eye drops.
Polite request to open one's eyes wide. Common in medical or everyday contexts.
「目を大きく開ける」 is the everyday phrase for physically opening eyes wide. 「目を見開く」 is more intense and often used in literature or dramatic contexts to convey shock or fear.
The doctor said, 'Please open your eyes wide.'
彼女は目を見開いて、叫んだ。
She opened her eyes wide and screamed.
Literally 'make one's eyes round', this is the most common idiom for opening one's eyes wide in surprise or wonder.
The child's eyes widened when they saw the present.
Everyone's eyes widened at his story.
Combines the literal phrase with the intense verb, emphasizing a strong physical reaction to surprise or shock.
At the sudden noise, he opened his eyes wide.
An idiom meaning 'one's eyes become dots', used when someone is so surprised they are speechless, often in manga or casual speech.
I was so stunned my eyes turned into dots.
Literally 'eyes wake up', this means to come to one's senses, realize the truth, or have an epiphany. Not about physically opening eyes.
His words opened my eyes (made me realize).
Wake up to reality.
Passive form meaning 'to have one's eyes opened' by someone or something, leading to realization.
Reading that book felt like having my eyes opened.
A biblical idiom meaning 'scales fall from one's eyes', used for a sudden realization or enlightenment.
That explanation was a real eye-opener.
Please open your eyes wide.
Casual command 'open your eyes'. Can be used alone, but adding '大きく' makes it 'wide'.
Open your eyes and look ahead.
He opened his eyes wide in terror.
「目を覚ます」 means 'to wake up' (from sleep), not 'to open one's eyes wide'. Use 「目を大きく開ける」 for the physical action.
I wake up in the morning.
I opened my eyes wide and looked at the clock.