目めをつける

め

を

つ

け

る

目をつける · ichidan verb

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	目めをつける	目めをつけない
Polite	目めをつけます	目めをつけません
Past polite	目めをつけました	目めをつけませんでした
Past	目めをつけた	目めをつけなかった
Te-form	目めをつけて	目めをつけないで
Desire	目めをつけたい	目めをつけたくない
Potential	目めをつけられるalso 目めをつけれる	目めをつけられないalso 目めをつけれない
Passive	目めをつけられる	目めをつけられない
Causative	目めをつけさせる	目めをつけさせない
Causative passive	目めをつけさせられる	目めをつけさせられない
Volitional	目めをつけよう
Polite volitional	目めをつけましょう
Imperative	目めをつけろ	目めをつけるな
Conditional	目めをつければ	目めをつけなければ
Tara conditional	目めをつけたら	目めをつけなかったら

Meanings

expression, ichidan verb

keep an eye on; have one's eye on; zero in on

idiomatic expression

Idiomatic expression meaning to watch someone or something with interest, often with the intention of selecting, targeting, or monitoring them.

彼かれは新しん入にゅう社しゃ員いんに目めをつけている。
He has his eye on the new employee.
警けい察さつはその男おとこに目めをつけている。
The police are keeping an eye on that man.

See all 9 example sentences ›

Kanji

目eye, class, look
付adhere, attach, refer to

Related words

注ちゅう目もくN3
注目する is a more formal, neutral verb for paying attention to something, while 目をつける carries a nuance of targeting or singling something out, often for a purpose.
狙ねらうN2
狙う means to aim at or target something with clear intent, whereas 目をつける is a softer expression for noticing and keeping watch on someone or something of interest.

Opposites

目めを離はなすN1
目を離す means to take one's eyes off something, the opposite of 目をつける, which means to fix one's attention on it.

Don't confuse with

目めに留とまる
目に留まる describes something passively catching one's eye, while 目をつける describes actively choosing to watch or target something.
目めを引ひくN1
目を付ける means to keep an eye on or single out someone/something for future attention, unlike 目を引く which means to attract attention to itself.

Written forms

目めをつける
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling.
目めを付つける
Variant with を in kanji; less common but still seen.

Etymology

Literally 'to attach one's eyes', an idiomatic phrase using 目 (eye) and つける (to attach). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it has been used figuratively for centuries.