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目を離す (めをはなす, meohanasu) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
JLPT N1 › Conjugation 目を離す · godan verb (-su)
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 目め を 離はな す 目め を 離はな さない Polite 目め を 離はな します 目め を 離はな しません Past polite 目め を 離はな しました 目め を 離はな しませんでした Past 目め を 離はな した 目め を 離はな さなかった Te-form 目め を 離はな して 目め を 離はな さないで Desire 目め を 離はな したい 目め を 離はな したくない Potential 目め を 離はな せる 目め を 離はな せない Passive 目め を 離はな される 目め を 離はな されない Causative 目め を 離はな させる 目め を 離はな させない Causative passive 目め を 離はな させられる 目め を 離はな させられない Volitional 目め を 離はな そう Polite volitional 目め を 離はな しましょう Imperative 目め を 離はな せ 目め を 離はな すな Conditional 目め を 離はな せば 目め を 離はな さなければ Tara conditional 目め を 離はな したら 目め を 離はな さなかったら
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Please don't take your eyes off the child.
The cat ran away in the moment I took my eyes off it.
Kanji 離 detach, separation, disjoin Opposites 目を離す means to stop watching and let one's attention lapse, while 見守る means to keep a steady, attentive watch over someone or something.
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.
目を離す means to take one's eyes off something, the opposite of 目が届く, where one's attention keeps reaching and covering it.
Don't confuse with 目を離す means to stop watching something (often unintentionally, risking a mishap), while 目を逸らす means to intentionally avert one's gaze, often from something unpleasant or embarrassing.
目を離す ('to take one's eyes off something') shares the '目を〜' pattern with 目を盗む but describes someone losing focus, not a person cleverly avoiding another's notice.
Written forms 目め を 離はな す
目め をはなす
Kana spelling of the verb part; common in everyday writing.
目め を 放はな す
irregular kanji usage
Irregular kanji usage; 放す is not standard for this expression.
Etymology Compound of 目 (eye) + を (object marker) + 離す (to separate, to release). Literally 'to separate one's eyes from something'.
