Word
目印
Meaning in Englishmark, sign, landmark
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
目印 means a mark or sign used as a reference point or guide, indicating a location or notable feature and helping someone orient themselves in space or in a plan.
Main meanings
- A physical marker that helps you locate a place or route.
- A symbolic cue used to identify or verify something, like a checklist item or bookmark.
- A distinctive landmark used as a reference when navigating or planning.
How to use it
Commonly used in travel, maps, signage, and everyday planning to refer to a visible reference point that guides action or orientation; formal or casual contexts are fine, and it can appear in phrases such as 目印をつける to mark something, or 目印になる to serve as a landmark.
Variants and close terms
- 合図 (aizu) – signal
- 印 (shirushi) – mark
- 標識 (hyoushiki) – signboard, landmark
Composition
- 目: eye; visibility; attention
- 印: seal; stamp; mark
- Together they form a concept of a visible mark used as a reference point to guide or identify a place or feature
Word class
Noun (名詞)
Related words by kanji and components
N2
目下
mokka
at present, now
N2
～時間目
～jikamme
~th hour, ~th period
N2
～丁目
～choume
~ district (of a town; city, block)
N2
～番目
～bamme
~th
N2
項目
koumoku
item
N2
目指す
mezasu
to aim at, to have an eye on
N2
目覚し
mezamashi
alarm-clock
N2
目立つ
medatsu
to be conspicuous, to stand out
N2
目安
meyasu
criterion, aim