Figurative use for the thing meant to attract the most attention, such as a featured exhibit, event, broadcast segment, or selling point; related to compounds like 目玉番組.

See also: 目玉番組 (めだまばんぐみ)

この展てん覧らん会かいの目め玉だまは、初はつ公こう開かいの絵えだ。
The centerpiece of this exhibition is a painting being shown for the first time.
新しん番ばん組ぐみの目め玉だまは豪ごう華かな出しゅつ演えん者しゃだ。
The main attraction of the new program is its star-studded cast.

noun

featured bargain; loss leader; special promotional item or program

abbreviation

Retail or promotional use, often short for 目玉商品: a prominently advertised bargain or attraction used to draw customers. Also lists a broader promotional/program sense.

See also: 目玉商品 (めだましょうひん)

今日きょうのスーパーの目め玉だまは、卵たまご一いちパック98円えんだ。
Today's featured bargain at the supermarket is a pack of eggs for 98 yen.
年ねん末まつセールの目め玉だまとして大おお型がたテレビを半はん額がくにした。
They made large TVs half price as the big draw for the year-end sale.

noun

sunny-side-up fried egg

abbreviation

Casual abbreviation of 目玉焼き. The full form 目玉焼き is much more explicit and safer in ordinary writing.

See also: 目玉焼き (めだまやき)

料りょう理りの注ちゅう文もんで「目め玉だま」と言いえば、目め玉だま焼やきを指さすことがある。
When ordering food, 目玉 can sometimes mean a fried egg sunny-side up.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉の目め玉だまになるto be the centerpiece/main attraction of something
この展てん覧らん会かいの目め玉だまは有ゆう名めい画が家かの新しん作さくだ。
The main attraction of this exhibition is the famous painter's new work.
〈物もの〉を目め玉だまにするto make something the featured bargain/highlight
このセールでは新しん製せい品ひんを目め玉だまにしている。
This sale is featuring the new product as its main draw.
目め玉だまを大おおきく開あけるto open one's eyes wide (in surprise)
彼かれは驚おどろいて目め玉だまを大おおきく開あけた。
He opened his eyes wide in surprise.

Expressions

目め玉だまが飛とび出でるeye-popping; staggering

Kanji

目eye, class, look
玉jewel, ball

Related words· 6

目めN5sense 1
目 is the general, everyday word for an eye, while 目玉 emphasizes the round eyeball itself and can sound more vivid or colloquial.
目め玉だま番ばん組ぐみ sense 2
目玉番組 spells out that the featured item is specifically a broadcast program, while 目玉 alone can loosely mean any centerpiece or highlight.
目め玉だま商しょう品ひんN1sense 3
目玉商品 is the explicit term for a featured bargain product, while 目玉 alone is a casual shortening used when the context already makes clear it's a product.
目め玉だま焼やき sense 4
目玉焼き is the standard, unambiguous word for a sunny-side-up fried egg, while 目玉 alone is a colloquial abbreviation that risks confusion with the eyeball sense.

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眼がん球きゅうN1sense 1
眼球 is the clinical or anatomical term for the eyeball, whereas 目玉 is the casual, everyday word for the same thing.
ハイライト
目玉 (literally 'eyeball') is used for the main attraction of a sale, exhibit, or event, whereas ハイライト more often marks the best moment of a performance or story.

Counted with

個こN5
counter for small objects; counter for pieces · counter for military units · individual; one person · counter for years of age difference; counter for school years

Word family· 7

目め玉だま焼やき
fried egg; sunny-side up egg
大おお目め玉だま
severe scolding; dressing-down
目め玉だま商しょう品ひんN1
bargain goods; loss leader · eye-catching goods; featured product
目

Built from

目め+玉たま

Written forms

目め玉だまUsage99%
Standard high-priority kanji spelling for the literal and figurative uses. Only this kanji form and the reading めだま.
めだまUsage1%

Etymology

A transparent compound of 目, "eye," and 玉, "ball" or "round object," giving the literal sense "eyeball." The figurative senses extend from the idea of something visually prominent or attention-grabbing.

め

玉だま

企き

画かく

special feature; special program; special project

目め玉だま番ばん組ぐみ

special-feature program; highlight program

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グリグリ目め玉だま
big round eyes; googly eyes
目め玉だまクリップ
bulldog clip