まばたきする
mabataki suru
To blink in Japanese is to say まばたきする (mabataki suru). Wiktionary also lists 瞬く (matataku).
Meaning: to close and reopen both eyes quickly (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| まばたきする | mabataki suru | |
| 瞬く | matataku | [ma̠ta̠ta̠kɯ̟] (narrow) [ma̠ba̠ta̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
The phrase is used to describe the physical action of closing and reopening both eyes quickly. The verb 瞬く can also be used to mean 'to twinkle', specifically when referring to stars or lights. Additionally, the expression 瞬く間に is a common idiom meaning 'in the blink of an eye' or 'in an instant'.
Which one should you use?
まばたきする is the standard, everyday way to describe the physical action of blinking. In contrast, 瞬く is more literary and is often used to describe stars twinkling or things happening in the blink of an eye.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
mabataki suru
Did you know?
- The word for blinking, 瞬く, contains a hidden connection to the physical act of 'hitting' something. It is formed by combining a word for 'eye' with the verb 叩く, which means 'to hit' or 'to strike'.
- While まばたきする is used for the physical act, 瞬く is often reserved for literature. Using the literary version in a casual conversation about dry eyes would sound unnaturally dramatic.
Examples in context
- 瞬くうちにテニスボール大の団子が消え去った。In the blink of an eye, the tennis-ball-sized dumpling had disappeared.The first sentence shows how to use 瞬く in the idiom 'in the blink of an eye'.Tatoeba #74929 by fcbond, translation #328790 by fcbond
- 瞬く。Blink.The second sentence uses 瞬く.Tatoeba #13611151 by stao, translation #13582031 by Native77
Example conversation
Ren is staring at a computer screen for too long.
- 蓮 Renずっと画面を見ているから、目が疲れたよ。Zutto gamen o mite iru kara, me ga tsukareta yo.My eyes are tired from looking at the screen for so long.
- 陽葵 Himariたまにまばたきするのを忘れないでね。Tama ni mabataki suru no o wasurenaide ne.Don't forget to blink once in a while.
- 蓮 Renあ、本当に全然まばたきしていなかった。A, hontō ni zenzen mabataki shite inakatta.Oh, I really wasn't blinking at all.
- 陽葵 Himari少し目を休ませたほうがいいよ、蓮くん。Sukoshi me o yasumasetā hō ga ii yo, Ren-kun.You should rest your eyes for a bit, Ren.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “blink” translations and entries 瞬く, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 瞬く, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
