めだま

Japanese

Alternative spelling
目玉

Etymology

From 目(め) (me) + 玉(たま) (tama). The tama changes to dama as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) めだま [mèdámáꜜ] (Odaka – [3])
• IPA^(key): [me̞da̠ma̠]

Noun

めだま • (medama) ^{←めだま (medama)?}

1. eyeball

   その翅(はね)には目(め)玉(だま)のような模(も)様(よう)があった。

   Sono hane ni wa medama no yō na moyō ga atta.

   On its wings was an eyeball-like pattern.

2. main attraction or (by extension) primary matter of interest

Synonyms

• (more formal) 眼(がん)球(きゅう) (gankyū)
• 目(め)の玉(たま) (me no tama)
• 目(め)ん玉(たま) (mentama)

Derived terms

• 目(め)玉(だま)焼(や)き (medamayaki)