- mewotsuburu to shut one's eyes, to close one's eyes; to turn a blind eye (to), to close one's eyes (to), to pretend not to see, to overlook; to die
Used both literally for closing eyes and figuratively for overlooking faults; common in everyday speech and writing.
彼は目をつぶって音楽を聴いていた。
Kare wa me o tsubutte ongaku o kiite ita.
He was listening to music with his eyes closed.
小さなミスには目をつぶることにした。
Chiisana misu ni wa me o tsuburu koto ni shita.
I decided to overlook small mistakes.
⚖️ Often confused with 目を閉じる (me o tojiru), which is only literal and more formal; 目をつぶる has figurative meanings.
Press the microphone and say: 目をつぶる
Ready to listen
💡 Remove る and add ます (polite), て-form, or た (past).
Found in a wide range of contexts. Useful for building reading and listening fluency.
Save personal notes for every word you study — memory hooks, your own sentences, grammar tips, and personal stories.
Synced to your account · Anki export · Accessible on every device
Create Free AccountReview Premium options
Create a free account to sync your level, streaks, and progress across all devices.
Already a member? Sign in →
Sign in or create a free account to keep your history.
Reset mastery for this word?
Review scheduling updates after each session.
Based on JLPT level, kanji complexity & word length.