1.
to be moved to tears; to feel tears welling up
Literally 'the inner corners of one's eyes become hot.' Describes the physical sensation of being on the verge of tears due to being deeply moved, touched, or emotionally stirred. More restrained than actually crying.
その話を聞いて目頭が熱くなった。
I was moved to tears hearing that story.
卒業式で生徒たちの歌を聞いて目頭が熱くなった。
I felt tears welling up when I heard the students sing at the graduation ceremony.
長年離れていた親子が再会する場面では、思わず目頭が熱くなる。
In scenes where a parent and child who have been apart for years are reunited, you can't help but feel tears welling up.
USAGE:
This expression describes the moment just before tears come — the physical warmth felt at the inner corners of the eyes. It conveys being deeply moved without necessarily crying. Often used with 思わず (involuntarily) to emphasize the spontaneous nature of the emotion.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 思わず目頭が熱くなる (to involuntarily feel tears welling up)
- 目頭が熱くなる場面 (a scene that moves one to tears)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 涙が出る: tears actually fall — describes the result rather than the onset
- 胸が熱くなる: one's heart is moved — focuses on emotion in the chest rather than eyes