目玉
Meanings
Literal noun for the round eyeball itself; more concrete and sometimes more vivid or colloquial than simply 目.
The cat's eyeballs seemed to glow in the dark.
centerpiece; main attraction; special feature
Figurative use for the thing meant to attract the most attention, such as a featured exhibit, event, broadcast segment, or selling point; related to compounds like 目玉番組.
See also: 目玉番組 (めだまばんぐみ)
The centerpiece of this exhibition is a painting being shown for the first time.
The main attraction of the new program is its star-studded cast.
featured bargain; loss leader; special promotional item or program
Retail or promotional use, often short for 目玉商品: a prominently advertised bargain or attraction used to draw customers. Also lists a broader promotional/program sense.
See also: 目玉商品 (めだましょうひん)
Today's featured bargain at the supermarket is a pack of eggs for 98 yen.
They made large TVs half price as the big draw for the year-end sale.
sunny-side-up fried egg
Casual abbreviation of 目玉焼き. The full form 目玉焼き is much more explicit and safer in ordinary writing.
See also: 目玉焼き (めだまやき)
When ordering food, 目玉 can sometimes mean a fried egg sunny-side up.
Usage patterns
- 〈事〉の目玉になるto be the centerpiece/main attraction of something
The main attraction of this exhibition is the famous painter's new work.
- 〈物〉を目玉にするto make something the featured bargain/highlight
This sale is featuring the new product as its main draw.
- 目玉を大きく開けるto open one's eyes wide (in surprise)
He opened his eyes wide in surprise.
Expressions
- 目玉が飛び出るeye-popping; staggering