Translation and Meaning of: 瞬き - matataki

The Japanese word 「瞬き」 (matataki) refers to the act of blinking the eyes. This expression is widely used in everyday life, in both formal and informal contexts. The corresponding verb is 「瞬く」 (matataku), which also indicates the blinking of eyes or the twinkling of stars in the sky. In Japanese, expressions related to the eyes often carry deep meanings and can be found in various forms in literature, poetry, and music, symbolizing fleeting moments or rapid transitions.

The etymology of 「瞬き」 is interesting and involves the kanji characters 「瞬」, which means "to blink" or "a fraction of a second," and 「き」, a hiragana reading often used to turn verbs into nouns. The kanji 「瞬」 is composed of the radical 「目」 for "eye," and 「舜」, which by itself has no direct meaning, but when combined, conveys the idea of a quick blink. The use of 「瞬」 highlights the instinctive and almost imperceptible rapid closure and opening of the eyes.

Historically, the idea of blinking has always been associated with something quick and momentary in Japanese culture. For example, in many tales and metaphors, a 「瞬き」 is used to symbolize the impermanence of a moment or the ephemerality of time. This concept can be compared to the Western expression "in the blink of an eye," which symbolizes the rapid transition of events or the swift passage of time. Moreover, the idea of twinkling stars (note the use of the same verb, 「瞬く」) also evokes the notion of fleeting and mysterious beauty.

Exploring the word 「瞬き」 offers a fascinating glimpse into how a simple physical action is loaded with cultural and linguistic meanings in Japanese. Understanding this word helps not only to capture the essence of a language that values subtlety and symbolism but also to appreciate how small everyday actions can have broader and deeper meanings.

Vocabulary

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Synonyms and similar words

• 瞬間 (shunkan) - Moment, instant
• 瞬き (mabataki) - blinking, the act of closing and opening the eyes
• 瞬く (matataku) - blink (verb)
• 瞬時 (shunji) - instantly, in an instant
• 瞬く間 (matataku ma) - in the blink of an eye
• 瞬く間に (matataku ma ni) - In an instant, quickly
• 瞬いて (mabait)e - by blinking (verb form)
• 瞬いた (mabaita) - winked
• 瞬きをする (mabataki o suru) - to blink, to perform the act of blinking
• 瞬きする (mabataki suru) - wink (verb form)
• 瞬きが止まらない (mabataki ga tomaranai) - can't stop flashing
• 瞬きが早い (mabataki ga hayai) - the blink is quick
• 瞬きが遅い (mabataki ga osoi) - the blinking is slow
• 瞬きが少ない (mabataki ga sukunai) - few blinks
• 瞬きが多い (mabataki ga ooi) - many blinks
• 瞬きが止まる (mabataki ga tomaru) - the wink for
• 瞬きが止まった (mabataki ga tomatta) - the blinking stopped
• 瞬きが止まると (mabataki ga tomaru to) - when the blinking stops
• 瞬きが止まらなくなる (mabataki ga tomaranakunaru) - starts to not be able to stop blinking
• 瞬きが止まらないと (mabataki ga tomaranai to) - if it doesn't stop flashing
• 瞬きが止まらないほど (mabataki ga tomaranai hodo) - a point where you can't stop blinking
• 瞬きが止まらないほどに (mabataki ga tomaranai hodo ni) - to the point that he can't stop blinking
• 瞬きが止まらないように (mabataki ga tomaranai you ni) - so it can't stop flashing

瞬き

Romaji: matataki
Kana: またたき
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: wink; twinkling (of stars); blink (of light)

Meaning in English: wink;twinkling (of stars);flicker (of light)

Definition: Close your eyes briefly.

Example Sentences - (瞬き) matataki

See below some example sentences:

瞬きが速い人は神経が鋭いと言われています。

Winku ga hayai hito wa shinkei ga surudoi to iwareteimasu

People with rapid blinking are said to be nervous.

• 瞬き - - blink of an eye
• が - - subject particle
• 速い - - rápido
• 人 - - person
• は - - Topic particle
• 神経 - - nervos
• が - - subject particle
• 鋭い - - sharp
• と - - Quote particle
• 言われています - - it's said, it's spoken