目まの当あたり

ま

の

あ

た

り

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

expression, adverb

before one's eyes; in person; up close

Used adverbially to describe witnessing something directly, often with a sense of immediacy. Commonly appears in the pattern 〜にする (to see/experience firsthand).

事じ故こを目まの当

あ

たり

に

し

て

、

言こと

葉ば

を

失うしな

っ

た

。

I was speechless after witnessing the accident right before my eyes.

彼かれの成せい長ちょうを目まの当あたりにできて嬉うれしい。

I'm happy to have been able to see his growth firsthand.

Kanji

目eye, class, look
当hit, right, appropriate
辺environs, boundary, border
眼eyeball

Related words

目もく前ぜんN1
目前 is the more literal 'right in front of one's eyes,' often for physical proximity or imminent events, while 目の当たり stresses the act of directly witnessing or experiencing something.
みすみすN1
目の当たり simply means witnessing something directly with one's own eyes, whereas みすみす adds the sense of watching a bad outcome unfold helplessly and with regret.

Don't confuse with

目めの前まえ
目の前 simply describes a spatial location right in front of someone, whereas 目の当たり (usually with にする) emphasizes personally witnessing or experiencing an event.

Written forms

目まの当あたりUsage65%
Standard kanji spelling.
目まのあたりUsage21%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kana-mixed form.
まのあたりUsage9%
目まの当あたりUsage

Etymology

Compound of 目 (eye) and 当たり (hitting, contact), literally 'hitting the eye', expressing direct visual experience.

5%

Variant spelling using 当り.

目まの辺あたり

Variant spelling using 辺り.

眼まの当あたり

rarely-used kanji form

Rarely used kanji form with 眼.

眼まの当あたり

rarely-used kanji form

Rarely used kanji form with 眼 and 当り.