まぶしい

• Reading: まぶしい
• Romaji: mabushii
• Kanji breakdown: 眩 (gen/mabushi) — dazzle, be blinded
• Pronunciation: /ma.bɯ.ɕi.i/

Meaning

Dazzling; blinding; radiant. Describes light so bright it is hard to look at.

An i-adjective conjugated regularly (まぶしくない, まぶしかった). Used literally for bright light (太陽がまぶしい, the sun is dazzling) and figuratively for someone radiantly beautiful or impressive (彼女の笑顔がまぶしい, her smile is radiant). Can be written with the kanji 眩しい, but the hiragana form is more common in everyday writing.

Examples

1. 朝の太陽がまぶしくて目を開けられなかった。 The morning sun was so bright I couldn't open my eyes.
2. ステージの上の彼女はまぶしいほど輝いていた。 She was shining so radiantly up on stage.
3. 雪に反射する光がまぶしかった。 The light reflecting off the snow was blinding.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, description, admiration

Tone: vivid

Origin & History

Possibly derived from 目 (ma, eye) + 臥し (bushi, to close/lie down) — closing the eyes against brightness. The kanji 眩 (gen/mabushi) contains 目 (eye) and 玄 (dark/mysterious), suggesting eyes overwhelmed by light.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal