白しろ目めをむく

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-ku)

open one's eyes wide; show the whites of one's eyes

Describes a facial expression where the eyes are opened so wide that the whites are visible, typically from fear, anger, shock, or intense emotion. Often used in the phrase 白目をむいて (with eyes wide open).

Written forms

白しろ目めをむく
Standard spelling using the common kanji 白 and kana for むく.
白しろ目めを剥むく
Alternate spelling using 剥く (to peel/expose), emphasizing the whites of the eyes being exposed.
白しろ目めを剝むく
Variant of 剥く using the older character form 剝; rarely used in modern writing.

Kanji

白white
目eye, class, look
剥come off, peel, fade
剝come off, peel, fade

Similar words

気き絶ぜつする
気絶する is a more formal and clinical term for fainting, while 白目をむく vividly describes the physical appearance of the eyes during fainting or extreme emotion.
目めを見み開ひらく
目を見開く simply means to open one's eyes wide, without the specific nuance of showing the whites or the emotional intensity often implied by 白目をむく.

Etymology

Literally 'to peel/expose the whites of the eyes'. The phrase combines 白目 (white of the eye) with むく (to peel or turn inside out), metaphorically describing the eyes rolling back or opening so wide that the whites are prominently visible.