How to Read “目くじらを立てる”
Me-kujira-wo-tateru
Meaning of “目くじらを立てる”
“Eye corner raise” means to become unnecessarily angry or harshly criticize someone over trivial or insignificant matters.
This proverb expresses an attitude of becoming excessively critical by making a big deal out of someone’s minor flaws or slight mistakes. It refers to the behavior of deliberately making an issue out of matters that could normally be overlooked, becoming emotional and attacking someone over them.
Usage scenarios include when a boss persistently scolds a subordinate for trivial mistakes, when parents excessively correct their children’s minor behaviors, or when neighbors make a big fuss over others’ minor actions as major problems.
The reason for using this expression is to implicitly indicate that such hypersensitive reactions are not constructive and may actually worsen human relationships. Even today, it is used to caution against overly strict attitudes that lack tolerance in workplaces, homes, and local communities.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of “Eye corner raise” comes from a part of fish called “mekujira” (eye corner). Mekujira refers to the bony part behind a fish’s eye, and it was named because this part appears to stand up when fish become excited or alert.
This eye corner can be clearly observed especially in large fish like tuna and bonito. The sight of fish raising their eye corners to intimidate when encountering enemies or having their territory invaded was a familiar scene to fishermen and people who handled fish.
Records show this expression was used in Edo period literature, indicating that even then, people used the metaphor of fish’s intimidating behavior to describe humans’ hypersensitive reactions and displays of anger over trivial matters.
This proverb, born from fish behavior observation, tells the story of Japanese people’s keen observational skills of nature. The idea of not missing subtle changes in fish and overlaying them with human emotional expression could only have emerged from Japan’s unique cultural background as an island nation surrounded by sea. Even today, you can observe fish actually raising their eye corners at fish markets and fishing spots.
Interesting Facts
Fish eye corners actually stand up differently depending on the species. In the case of tuna, the eye corners stand up sharply when angry, but blue fish like mackerel and horse mackerel don’t show such prominent raising.
People working at fish markets in the Edo period would judge how fresh and lively a fish was by looking at the condition of its eye corners. Fish with raised eye corners were considered to have been caught recently and to have high freshness.
Usage Examples
- The neighbor lady always does Eye corner raise over trivial matters, making neighborhood relations difficult
- The department manager does Eye corner raise even over new employees’ small mistakes, so everyone feels intimidated
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the behavior of “Eye corner raise” has come to have more complex meanings than before. With the spread of social media, trivial remarks or actions are instantly disseminated and receive criticism from many people, making “flaming” phenomena commonplace.
On the internet, partly due to anonymity, more people show excessively harsh reactions to others’ minor slip-ups or actions. This can be said to be a modern version of “Eye corner raise” behavior. In environments where information is shared in real-time, critical attitudes tend to stand out more than tolerance.
On the other hand, with improved compliance and human rights awareness, problems that were previously overlooked as “trivial matters” are now being legitimately pointed out. A strict stance against harassment and discriminatory remarks can also be viewed as necessary social progress.
In workplace environments too, there’s a growing tendency to demand perfectionism, creating atmospheres where even small mistakes are not tolerated. However, such environments may diminish creativity and willingness to take on challenges, potentially becoming factors that hinder organizational growth.
In modern times, the criteria for judging what problems deserve “Eye corner raise” and what matters should be received with tolerance have become complex.
When AI Hears This
“Mekujira” refers to the outer corner of the eye, but why was this particular facial feature chosen among all the parts of the face to express anger?
In fact, the outer corner of the eye is one of the body parts where emotions appear most subtly. Psychological research shows that when people feel discomfort or wariness, the muscles around their eyes unconsciously tense up, particularly causing the outer corners to be pulled upward. In other words, the “rising” of the mekujira is a physiologically accurate observation.
What’s even more interesting is the choice of the verb “tateru” (to stand/raise). The outer corners of the eyes actually go up, so why use “tateru”? This demonstrates the sophistication of the Japanese language. “Tateru” carries the meaning of “consciously emphasizing” or “deliberately making conspicuous.” By expressing the movement of the eye corners—originally an unconscious physiological response—as “tateru,” it creates the nuance of “reacting excessively to trivial matters.”
For example, when expressing anger in English, “furrowing one’s brow” is common, but this refers to an obvious facial change. However, “mekujira wo tateru” captures a minute change that would hardly be noticed by others. This difference reveals how sensitively Japanese people have observed changes in others’ emotions.
Lessons for Today
The proverb “Eye corner raise” teaches us living in modern times the importance of tolerance. Precisely because modern society tends to demand perfectionism, it’s important to maintain mental composure and not become excessively harsh toward small failures and flaws.
Before attacking others for trivial mistakes, let’s take a deep breath and ask ourselves, “Is this really that important?” In many cases, we might be spending precious time and energy on small events that we’ll forget as time passes.
Especially in human relationships, an attitude of focusing on others’ good points rather than small flaws creates richer communication. To maintain good relationships with family, colleagues, and friends, sometimes the kindness of “turning a blind eye” is also necessary.
This proverb reminds modern people, who tend to be critical, of the value of living with a bit more relaxed shoulders. A society where we can accept each other even without being perfect would surely be more livable.
Comments