Eyes on it
Idioms, Stage 1chunk 12 of 21Noticing & the mind
Where your eyes are held: not taking them off, setting them on someone, things catching them, being glued, keeping watch.
- me o hanasutake your eyes off (someone)literally “take the eyes away”
- me o tsukeruhave your eye on; single someone outliterally “attach the eyes”
- me ni tsukucatch the eye, stand outliterally “stick to the eye”
- kugizuke ni narube glued to (a screen, a sight)literally “become nailed down”
- me o hikaraserukeep a sharp eye onliterally “make the eyes shine”
Mix-ups me ni tsuku (it catches your eye) vs me o tsukeru (you single someone out): the particle flips who acts; me o hanasu na (don't look away) and me o hikaraseru (keep a sharp eye) both mean watching closely.
me o hanasu
polite me o hanashimasu
“take the eyes away”
take your eyes off (someone)
Said about kids, pets, bags or a suspect. It's mostly a warning (me o hanasu na, me o hanasanaide: don't let them out of your sight) or appears in chotto me o hanashita suki ni (the moment I looked away). Hanasu here is 離す (let go), not 話す (talk), and me o sorasu means looking away to avoid someone's eyes.
Can't-look-away form: me ga hanasenai (gripping, or needs constant watching).
chotto me o hanashita suki ni inaku natta.
I looked away for a second and they were gone.
ちょっと目を離した隙にいなくなった。
chotto me o hanashita suki ni inaku narimashita.
I looked away for a second and they were gone.
ちょっと目を離した隙にいなくなりました。
Written 目を離す · めをはなすHeard 284× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside kugizuke ni naru, me o hikaraseru
me o tsukeru
polite me o tsukemasu
“attach the eyes”
have your eye on; single someone out
In English: have your eye on
Used for something or someone you want, like a bag, a house or a promising newcomer: zutto me o tsuketeta. The passive me o tsukerareta means you got on someone's bad side, and ii tokoro ni me o tsuketa ne praises someone for spotting the right point or angle. It's different from me ni tsuku, where the thing itself catches your eye.
Plain alternative: nerau (go after, aim for).
zutto kono baggu ni me o tsuketeta n da.
I've had my eye on this bag for ages.
ずっとこのバッグに目をつけてたんだ。
zutto kono baggu ni me o tsukete ita n desu.
I've had my eye on this bag for ages.
ずっとこのバッグに目をつけていたんです。
Written 目をつける · めをつけるHeard 88× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside me ni tsukuMain list -areru / -rareru (Stage 2), -teru (Stage 1)
me ni tsuku
polite me ni tsukimasu
“stick to the eye”
catch the eye, stand out
The thing is the subject: a sign, a stain, a typo, someone's flaws. It often sounds slightly negative (warui toko bakari me ni tsuku). Hitome ni tsuku means being seen by other people. Me o tsukeru is different: you set your eyes on something you want.
Plain alternative: medatsu (stand out).
kare no warui toko bakkari me ni tsuku.
All I notice are his bad points.
彼の悪いとこばっかり目につく。
kare no warui tokoro bakari me ni tsukimasu.
All I notice are his bad points.
彼の悪いところばかり目につきます。
Written 目につく · めにつくHeard 72× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside me o tsukeru
kugizuke ni naru
polite kugizuke ni narimasu
“become nailed down”
be glued to (a screen, a sight)
In English: be glued to
Said when your eyes or attention are stuck on something: a match on TV, a stunning view, someone gorgeous. It's usually said without naru, as X ni kugizuke (da/datta), and me ga kugizuke means your eyes were fixed on it. It also means stuck in place: ichinichijuu desuku ni kugizuke datta (chained to my desk all day).
minna terebi ni kugizuke datta yo.
Everyone was glued to the TV.
みんなテレビに釘付けだったよ。
minna terebi ni kugizuke deshita yo.
Everyone was glued to the TV.
みんなテレビに釘付けでしたよ。
Written 釘付けになる · くぎづけになるHeard 60× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside me o hanasu, me o hikaraseruMain list naru (Stage 1), -ku naru / -ni naru (Stage 4)
me o hikaraseru
polite me o hikarasemasu
“make the eyes shine”
keep a sharp eye on
In English: watch like a hawk
Said of someone watching for trouble or rule-breaking: parents, teachers, a strict boss, the police. You'll hear it in the -teru form. Me ga hanasenai is needing to watch; me o hikaraseru is standing guard.
buchou ga me o hikaraseteru kara, sumaho tsukaenai.
The boss is watching like a hawk, so no phones.
部長が目を光らせてるから、スマホ使えない。
buchou ga me o hikaraseteru node, sumaho wa tsukaemasen ne.
The boss is watching like a hawk, so no phones.
部長が目を光らせてるので、スマホは使えませんね。
Written 目を光らせる · めをひからせるHeard 35× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside me o hanasu, kugizuke ni naruMain list -teru (Stage 1), -eru / -rareru (Stage 2)