目障り

• Reading: めざわり
• Romaji: mezawari
• Kanji breakdown: 目 (moku/me) — eye; 障 (shō/sawa) — obstruct, hinder, harm
• Pronunciation: /me.za.wa.ɾi/

Meaning

Eyesore; unpleasant to look at; offensive to the eye. Describes something visually jarring or bothersome that one wishes were not in sight.

A na-adjective (also used as a noun) formed from 目 (me — eye) + 障り (sawari — obstruction, harm, offence). 目障りな存在 means someone or something that is an irritating presence visually or metaphorically. Can be used for physical ugliness, a distracting object in one's field of vision, or metaphorically for a person whose presence is unwelcome. The phrase 目障りだ can be blunt and dismissive.

Examples

1. 窓の外の古い看板が目障りで、景色を楽しめない。 The old signboard outside the window is an eyesore and stops me from enjoying the view.
2. 会議中にスマホをいじる人は、周囲にとって目障りな存在だ。 Someone who fiddles with their phone during a meeting is an irritating presence for everyone around them.
3. 目障りな広告が多すぎて、サイトの内容に集中できない。 There are too many intrusive advertisements, and I can't concentrate on the content of the site.

Usage Guide

Context: appearance, environment, behaviour, workplace

Tone: critical, dismissive

Origin & History

Compound of 目 (me — eye) + 障り (sawari — obstruction, interference, harm). Literally 'an obstruction to the eye', i.e. something that blocks or spoils one's view.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: General