also: めにいっちょうじもない
expression
completely illiterate; cannot read a single character
Idiomatic expression emphasizing total illiteracy; literally 'not even one character in the eye'. Often used in negative form to stress the complete lack of reading ability. Compare 目に一丁字なし.
See also: 目に一丁字なし
彼は目に一丁字もないと言っていいほど字が読めない。
He is so illiterate you could say he doesn't know a single character.
昔の農民の中には目に一丁字もない人が多かった。
In the past, many farmers were completely illiterate.
The phrase combines 目 (eye) with 一丁字 (one character) and the negative もない, literally meaning 'not even one character in the eye'. It is an idiomatic expression for total illiteracy. The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely developed as a vivid metaphor for lacking even the most basic reading ability.