目 前(もくぜん)

もくぜん

noun

before one's eyes, imminent

1. right before one's eyes

Physically or spatially right in front of someone. Describes something visible and immediately present.

目前(もくぜん)に海(うみ)が広(ひろ)がっていた。

The sea spread out right before my eyes.

危険(きけん)が目前(もくぜん)に迫(せま)っている。

Danger is closing in right before us.

目前(もくぜん)で事故(じこ)が起(お)きて、体(からだ)が凍(こお)りついた。

An accident happened right before my eyes and I froze.

2. imminent, close at hand

Temporally very near, about to happen. Used when an event, deadline, or situation is approaching and nearly upon one.

試験(しけん)が目前(もくぜん)に迫(せま)っている。

The exam is imminent.

締(し)め切(き)りを目前(もくぜん)に控(ひか)えている。

The deadline is close at hand.

卒業(そつぎょう)を目前(もくぜん)にして、将来(しょうらい)について真剣(しんけん)に考(かんが)え始(はじ)めた。

With graduation imminent, I started to think seriously about the future.

USAGE:
Used adverbially with the particle に or で. The phrase 目前(もくぜん)に迫(せま)る (to be closing in / to be imminent) is extremely common in both senses. The pattern ～を目前(もくぜん)にして (with ~ imminent, on the eve of ~) is also frequently used.

KANJI:
目(もく) means "eye" and 前(ぜん) means "before" or "in front of." The compound literally means "before the eyes."

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

目前(もくぜん)に迫(せま)る: to be imminent / to approach
～を目前(もくぜん)にして: with ~ imminent, on the eve of ~
目前(もくぜん)に控(ひか)える: to be close at hand

general

Added 2026.2.26 21:55

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