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目をかすめる (めをかすめる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, ichidan verb
do secretly ; do without being noticed
Used for actions done while avoiding someone's attention, often with a nuance of stealth or slyness. The expression literally means 'to graze past someone's eyes'.
かすめ
て
万まん
引び
き
する
なんて
許ゆる
せ
ない
。
It's unforgivable to shoplift while avoiding the store clerk's eyes.
Written forms 目め をかすめる
Standard spelling using the common kanji 目 and hiragana for the verb part.
目め を 掠かす める
Kanji spelling using 掠める, which can also be read かすめる. Less common but still used.
Similar words こっそり こっそり is an adverb meaning 'secretly' or 'stealthily', while 目をかすめる is a verb phrase emphasizing the act of doing something right under someone's nose without being caught.
内ない 緒しょ で 内緒で means 'in secret' or 'confidentially', often implying keeping something from others, but 目をかすめる specifically involves avoiding visual detection.
Etymology The phrase combines 目 (eye) with かすめる (to graze, to skim), literally 'to graze past the eyes', figuratively meaning to do something without being noticed. The verb かすめる is of native Japanese origin.
