expression, godan verb (-ru)
catch one's eye; have one's attention drawn
Describes when something visually or mentally stands out and grabs your attention, often involuntarily.
そのポスターに目がとまった。
My eye was caught by that poster.
彼女の派手な服に目がとまった。
Her flashy clothes caught my eye.
Standard kana-mixed spelling; the verb part is usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling for the verb part; less common but still used.
Both mean something catches your eye, but 目がとまる emphasizes the moment your gaze stops, while 目につく is more about something being noticeable or standing out in general.
Compound of 目 (eye) + が (subject marker) + とまる (stop). Literally 'the eye stops', referring to one's gaze being caught by something.