目上

• 読み: めうえ
• ローマ字: meue
• 漢字の分解: 目 (eye) + 上 (above/upper) → someone above one's eye level, a social superior
• 発音: /me.ɯ.e/

意味

A social superior — someone older, higher-ranking, or more experienced whom you should speak to with respect.

目上 defines one side of the fundamental Japanese social hierarchy that governs language choices (keigo), seating arrangements, and interaction patterns. Knowing who is 目上 determines whether you use casual or polite speech, who pours drinks first, and who enters the elevator first. The concept remains strong in workplaces and traditional settings but is loosening among younger generations.

例文

1. 目上の人には敬語を使うのが常識だよ。
2. 目上に対してタメ口はさすがにまずいでしょ。
3. 目上でも話しやすい人っているよね、そういう人って尊敬する。

使い方ガイド

場面: workplace, school, social etiquette, keigo usage

トーン: respectful, hierarchical

正しい言い方

• 目上の人には席を譲るのがマナーだよ (It's good manners to give up your seat for superiors)
• 目上だからって偉そうにするのは違うと思う (I don't think being a superior gives you the right to act arrogant)

避ける言い方

• 初対面の人に「あなたは目上ですか」と聞くのは不自然 (Asking someone 'are you my social superior?' directly is awkward — it should be inferred from context)

よくある間違い

• Ignoring 目上/目下 dynamics in Japanese workplace settings — it fundamentally affects expected behavior and language
• Assuming 目上 is only about age — seniority, position, and experience all factor in

起源と歴史

From 目 (eye/gaze) + 上 (above) — someone you literally look up to. Reflects the vertical social structure (縦社会) central to Japanese organisations and relationships.

文化的背景

時代: Classical hierarchy concept, still strongly observed

世代: All ages (loosening among younger generations)

社会的背景: Universal, especially workplace

地域メモ: Used across all of Japan. Essential for understanding Japanese social hierarchy and proper keigo usage.