人目

• Reading: ひとめ
• Romaji: hitome
• Kanji breakdown: 人 (hito) — person, people; 目 (me) — eye, gaze
• Pronunciation: /hi.to.me/

Meaning

Public notice; public attention; the eyes of others; public gaze.

A noun describing the awareness of being watched or noticed by others. Appears in many common expressions: 人目を気にする (to worry about what others think), 人目につく (to attract attention), 人目を忍ぶ (to avoid being seen), 人目もはばからず (without caring about others watching). Reflects the Japanese cultural awareness of social perception.

Examples

1. 人目を気にして本当のことが言えなかった。 I was so worried about what others thought that I couldn't tell the truth.
2. 人目につかない場所でこっそり泣いた。 I snuck off to a place where no one could see me and cried.
3. 彼は人目もはばからず大声で笑った。 He laughed out loud without a care for who was watching.

Usage Guide

Context: social situations, emotions, daily life, literature

Tone: reflective

Origin & History

From native Japanese 人 (hito, person/people) + 目 (me, eye/gaze). Literally 'people's eyes,' expressing the collective gaze or attention of those around you.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal