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人目につく (ひとめにつく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, godan verb (-ku)
be conspicuous ; attract attention ; be visible to others
Used when someone or something stands out and is noticed by people around. Often carries a nuance of being seen when one might prefer not to be, or simply being in plain sight.
彼かれ
は
人ひと
目め
に
つか
ない
場ば
所しょ
で
待ま
っ
て
い
た
。
He was waiting in a place where he wouldn't be seen.
Written forms 人ひと 目め につく
Standard spelling using つく; the most common written form.
人ひと 目め に 付つ く
Alternate spelling using the kanji 付; less common but still encountered.
Kanji 付 adhere, attach, refer to Similar words 目め 立だ つ 目立つ means 'to stand out' in a general sense, while 人目につく specifically emphasizes being noticed by other people.
人ひと 目め を 引ひ く 人目を引く is similar but often implies actively drawing attention, whereas 人目につく can be more passive or incidental.
Etymology Compound of 人目 (ひとめ, 'public gaze') + に (particle) + つく (付く, 'to be attached; to be perceived'). The literal sense is 'to attach to people's eyes', i.e., to come into view.