祖父は目が悪いので、眼鏡をかけています。
My grandfather has poor eyesight, so he wears glasses.
noun
The direction or expression of one's eyes; a way of looking. Often used with verbs like 向ける, やる, 配る.
彼は恥ずかしそうに目をそらした。
He averted his eyes shyly.
noun
attention; notice; observation; eyes (of the world, public, etc.)
Figurative use: being watched or noticed. Common in expressions like 目を引く (attract attention), 目が届く (keep an eye on), 世間の目 (public eye).
そのポスターは人々の目を引いた。
The poster caught people's attention.
noun
Used in set phrases like ひどい目に遭う (have a terrible experience) or 痛い目を見る (learn a painful lesson).
そんなことをすると痛い目を見るよ。
If you do that, you'll be sorry (lit. see a painful experience).
noun
A way of looking at things; a standpoint. Often used in compounds like 長い目で見る (take the long view).
長い目で見れば、この投資は有益だ。
In the long run, this investment will be profitable.
noun
discernment; judgment; eye (for quality)
The ability to judge or appreciate something. Common in phrases like 目が高い (have a good eye), 目が利く (have a discerning eye).
彼は絵を見る目がある。
He has an eye for paintings.
noun
How something looks to the eye. Often used in phrases like 見た目 (appearance) or 目がいい (looks good).
この料理は見た目も美しい。
This dish also looks beautiful.
noun
chance (of success); possibility
Used in the expression 目がない (there is no chance/hope) or 目がある (there is a chance).
See also: 目がない
彼が勝つ目はほとんどない。
There is almost no chance of him winning.
noun
The natural pattern or direction of fibers in wood or paper.
木目に沿って切る。
Cut along the grain of the wood.
noun
eye (of a storm, needle, etc.)
The central part of a storm, or the hole in a needle. Also used for the center of a target or similar circular objects.
台風の目に入った。
We entered the eye of the typhoon.
noun
intersection (on a go board); square (on a chessboard)
A point on a game board where lines cross. In go, it's the intersection; in chess/shogi, it's a square.
碁盤の目に石を置く。
Place a stone on an intersection of the go board.
noun
dot (on a dice); pip; rolled number
The spots on dice, or the number shown after a roll.
サイコロの目は六だった。
The dice showed a six.
noun
graduation; division (of a scale)
A mark or line on a measuring instrument, such as a ruler or scale.
この温度計は一目盛りが0.1度だ。
Each division on this thermometer is 0.1 degrees.
noun
The individual projecting parts of a saw blade, comb, or similar tool.
のこぎりの目がつぶれた。
The saw teeth are worn down.
suffix
ordinal number suffix
Attached to numbers to form ordinals: 一つ目 (the first one), 二つ目 (the second one). Also used with counters like 回目 (the ~th time).
三つ目の角を右に曲がってください。
Turn right at the third corner.
suffix
Attached to the stem of an i-adjective to mean 'a bit', 'somewhat', or '-ish'. Usually written in kana. Example: 大きめ (on the large side), 早め (a bit early).
See also: 大きめ
今日は早めに帰ります。
I'll go home a bit early today.
suffix
Attached to the masu-stem of a verb to indicate a turning point or juncture. Common in words like 変わり目 (turning point), 折れ目 (crease), 境目 (boundary).
季節の変わり目は風邪をひきやすい。
It's easy to catch a cold at the change of seasons.
noun
Only when written 眼
In the game of go, an empty space inside a group of stones that is necessary for life. Restricted to the kanji 眼.
この石は眼が二つあるので生きている。
This group is alive because it has two eyes.
瞳 specifically refers to the pupil or the iris, often used poetically for the eye as a whole, while 目 is the general word for eye.
眼鏡 means glasses (spectacles), a compound using the kanji 眼. 目 alone does not mean glasses.
見る is the verb 'to see' or 'to look', while 目 is the noun 'eye' or related figurative senses.
Native Japanese word. The kanji 目 and 眼 both represent 'eye', with 眼 often used in more technical or formal contexts. The many extended meanings derive from the central concept of 'eye' as an organ of sight, perception, and judgment.