まぶた

ま

ぶ

た

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun

eyelid

usually written using kana alone

Standard word for eyelid. Usually written in kana.

まぶたが重おもくて、眠ねむくてたまらない。
My eyelids are heavy and I'm so sleepy.
彼かの女じょはまぶたにアイシャドウをのせた。
She put eyeshadow on her eyelids.

See all 71 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉のまぶたが重おもいsomeone's eyelids feel heavy (with sleepiness)
眠ねむくてまぶたが重おもくなってきた。
I'm getting so sleepy that my eyelids feel heavy.
まぶたを閉とじるto close one's eyelids
彼かの女じょは静しずかにまぶたを閉とじた。
She quietly closed her eyelids.
まぶたの裏うらに浮うかぶto picture something vividly in one's mind (as if seeing it behind closed eyelids)
故こ郷きょうの風ふう景けいがまぶたの裏うらに浮うかんだ。
The scenery of my hometown appeared vividly in my mind.
まぶたが腫はれるfor one's eyelids to become swollen
泣なきすぎてまぶたが腫はれてしまった。
I cried so much that my eyelids swelled up.

Kanji

瞼eyelids
目eye, class, look
蓋cover, lid, flap
眼eyeball

Don't confuse with

まつ毛げN3
まぶた is the fold of skin that covers the eye, while まつ毛 are the hairs growing along its edge.
眉まゆN1
まぶた is the eyelid itself, whereas 眉 refers to the eyebrow above the eye—learners sometimes mix up these nearby facial parts.

Counted with

枚まいN3
counter for thin, flat objects; sheet; plate; coin · serving of soba; portion of gyōza · sumo rank position; wrestler at a given rank · field; rice paddy plot · palanquin bearer

Written forms

まぶたUsage42%
Kana spelling is the most common and recommended form for learners.
瞼まぶたUsage54%
Standard kanji form, but the word is usually written in kana.
目ま蓋ぶたUsage4%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; not commonly used.
マブタUsage<1%
眼蓋まぶたUsage<1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not used in modern writing.

Etymology

Compound of 目 (ma, 'eye') and 蓋 (futa, 'lid'), with rendaku voicing of futa to buta. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the components clearly indicate 'eye lid'.