盲点

• Reading: もうてん
• Romaji: mouten
• Kanji breakdown: 盲 (mou) — blind; 点 (ten) — point, spot
• Pronunciation: /moː.teɴ/

Meaning

Blind spot. Both a physiological term for the retinal blind spot and a figurative term for an overlooked point.

A noun with both literal and figurative uses. In ophthalmology, it refers to the part of the retina where the optic nerve connects, which has no photoreceptors. More commonly used figuratively to mean an overlooked or unnoticed weakness, flaw, or gap in thinking. The phrase 盲点を突く (to exploit a blind spot) is particularly common.

Examples

1. その指摘は完全に盲点だった。 That observation was a complete blind spot for me.
2. 法律の盲点を突いた巧妙な手口だ。 It's a clever scheme that exploits a blind spot in the law.
3. セキュリティの盲点を見つけて対策を強化した。 We identified a blind spot in our security and reinforced our countermeasures.

Usage Guide

Context: analysis, security, debate, self-reflection

Tone: analytical

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 盲 (mou, blind) + 点 (ten, point/spot). Originally a medical term for the physiological blind spot discovered by Edme Mariotte in 1668. The figurative meaning of an overlooked flaw followed naturally.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal