Translation and Meaning of: 目 - me

The Japanese word 「目」 (me) is an ideogram that serves multiple functions in the Japanese language. Its primary meaning is "eye," but it can also refer to aspects such as "point," "interest," and even "number" when combined with other kanji. The use of 「目」 is extensive and versatile, making it an essential word in Japanese vocabulary.

Etymologically, 「目」 is a kanji that traces back to archaic Chinese, graphically representing an eye. This kanji is composed of the radical "囗" (kuchi), which symbolizes an opening or mouth, and the additional part that gives it the specific meaning of eye. This visual concept well reflects its main function related to vision and sight. The origin of this ideogram emphasizes its historical connection with the pictographic representations that inspired many of the Chinese characters adopted by Japanese.

In addition to its literal meaning, 「目」 is used in various expressions and compounds. For example, in the expression 「目的」 (mokuteki), which means "purpose" or "goal", the kanji combines with 「的」 (teki) to form a more abstract term. Another common usage is in 「注目」 (chumoku), which means "attention", illustrating how the concept of "looking" expands to describe focus or interest in something specific. The use of the kanji can also indicate order or sequence, as in the case of 「一番目」 (ichibanme), which means "the first".

The versatility of 「目」 is not limited to compound words; its use is fundamental in daily sentences and conversational structures. The various connotations and the flexibility of application make this term a vital and everyday part of Japanese, enriching the language and providing multiple forms of expression from a single root. Understanding the diverse applications and nuances of 「目」 is crucial for any serious student of the Japanese language.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 眼 (gan) - Eye (general vision)
• 眸 (bō) - Eyes (in a more poetic or artistic sense)
• 眼球 (gankyū) - Eyeball
• 目玉 (medama) - Eye (physical, or the "eye of an object")
• 目覚める (mezameru) - Awaken (literally or figuratively, open the eyes)
• 見る (miru) - See (the act of seeing something)
• 見える (mieru) - Visible (something that can be seen)
• 見つめる (mitsumeru) - Stare (to look intensely)
• 見守る (mimamoru) - Observe carefully (with care and attention)
• 見渡す (miwatasu) - Look around (examining a wide area)
• 見抜く (minuku) - Understand (see beyond the surface)
• 見破る (mihaburu) - Unmask (discover the hidden truth)
• 見極める (mikiwameru) - Determine (assess accurately)
• 見通す (mitōsu) - Foresee (see through something)
• 見込む (mikomu) - To count on (to have expectations about something)
• 見逃す (mienogasu) - Lose sight of (not notice or fail to perceive)
• 見捨てる (misuteru) - Abandon (to leave aside, in terms of regard or consideration)
• 見限る (mikagiru) - Give up (lose confidence, no longer expect anything from it)
• 見送る (miokuru) - Saying goodbye (seeing something depart)
• 見舞う (miyau) - Visit (especially someone who is ill or in need)
• 見合わせる (miawaseru) - Stop to observe (take a break to see what's happening)
• 見合い (miai) - Meeting (a meeting to marry)
• 見学 (kengaku) - Study visit (observing for educational purposes)
• 見本 (mihon) - Model (example or sample for reference)
• 見出し (midashi) - Title (header or title of an article)
• 見積もり (mitsumori) - Estimate (cost calculation or forecast)
• 見解 (kenkai) - Opinion (point of view or perspective)
• 見識 (kenshiki) - Knowledge (wisdom or understanding)
• 見地 (kenchi) - Point of view (perspective or angle of vision)
• 見方 (mikata) - Way of seeing (opinion or approach)
• 見苦しい (mikurushii) - Ugly (something that is unpleasant to the eye)
• 見栄え (miba-e) - Appearance (how something visually presents itself)

目

Romaji: me
Kana: め
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: eye; eyeball

Meaning in English: eye;eyeball

Definition: The ability to feel things in the external world through the visual organs.

Example Sentences - (目) me

See below some example sentences:

注目されることは素晴らしいことです。

Chūmoku sareru koto wa subarashī koto desu

Being noticed is a wonderful thing.

It's great to be noticed.

• 注目されること - "being noticed" or "being recognized"
• は - Topic particle
• 素晴らしいこと - "wonderful thing" or "something excellent"
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form

煙る空気が私たちの目を刺激する。

Kemuru kuuki ga watashitachi no me wo shigeki suru

The smoky air stimulates our eyes.

• 煙る (kemuru) - verb that means "to be smoking, to be fogging"
• 空気 (kuuki) - noun that means "air"
• が (ga) - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 私たち (watashitachi) - pronoun that means "we"
• の (no) - Particle indicating possession or relationship
• 目 (me) - noun that means "eyes"
• を (wo) - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 刺激する (shigeki suru) - verb that means "to stimulate, to irritate"

目覚しをセットしました。

Mezamashi wo setto shimashita

I set the alarm clock.

I set the alarm.

• 目覚し (mezamashi) - despertador
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• セット (setto) - adjust, configure
• しました (shimashita) - past tense of the verb "to do"

着々と目標に近づいている。

Chakuchaku to mokuhyou ni chikazuite iru

I am constantly progressing toward my goal.

It is constantly approaching the goal.

• 着々と - Adverb that means "gradually" or "constantly"
• 目標 - Noun that means "objective" or "goal"
• に - particle that indicates the direction or target of the action
• 近づいている - verb that means "getting closer" or "getting close"

私の狙いは高い目標を達成することです。

Watashi no nerai wa takai mokuhyō o tassei suru koto desu

My goal is to achieve high goals.

• 私 (watashi) - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• の (no) - particle that indicates possession or relationship between two things
• 狙い (nerai) - noun meaning "goal" or "target"
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 高い (takai) - adjective that means "high" or "elevated"
• 目標 (mokuhyou) - noun meaning "goal" or "objective"
• を (wo) - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 達成する (tassei suru) - compound verb meaning "to reach" or "to achieve"
• こと (koto) - noun indicating an abstract action or event
• です (desu) - auxiliary verb that indicates the present tense and formality of the sentence

私は毎朝早く目覚めます。

Watashi wa maiasa hayaku mezameru masu

I wake up early every morning.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - particle that marks the topic of the sentence
• 毎朝 (maiasa) - adverb meaning "every morning"
• 早く (hayaku) - adverb meaning "early"
• 目覚めます (mezamemasu) - verb meaning "to wake up"

私は目上の人に敬意を払います。

Watashi wa meue no hito ni keii o haraimasu

I respect people superior to me.

I respect the superiors.

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 目上の人 - expression that means "superior person" or "person in a higher position"
• に - Particle indicating the target of the action
• 敬意を払います - verb that means "show respect" or "pay tribute"

私は大学で様々な科目を勉強しました。

Watashi wa daigaku de samazama na kamoku o benkyou shimashita

I studied several subjects at the university.

I studied several subjects at the university.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 大学 - noun meaning "university"
• で - particle that indicates the location where the action takes place
• 様々な - adjective that means "diverse," "varied"
• 科目 - noun that means "subject", "discipline"
• を - Particle indicating the direct object of the action.
• 勉強しました - verb that means "study" in the past

私たちは常に目標を持って前進することが大切です。

Watashitachi wa tsuneni mokuhyō o motte zenshin suru koto ga taisetsu desu

It is important that we always advance with our goals.

• 私たちは - We
• 常に - Always
• 目標を - Objetivos
• 持って - Ter
• 前進することが - Avançar
• 大切です - is important

私たちは目論見を達成するために全力を尽くします。

Watashitachi wa mokuroumi o tassei suru tame ni zenryoku o tsukushimasu

We will do our best to achieve our perspectives.

• 私たちは - We
• 目論見 - Plan, objective
• を - object particle
• 達成する - Achieve, accomplish
• ために - to, with the objective of
• 全力を尽くします - We'll do our best