1.
target; mark; bull's-eye
A physical target to aim at, such as in archery or shooting. Also used figuratively for the object of attention, criticism, or focus.
A target to aim at, both literally and figuratively. The figurative use — as the object of criticism, attention, or ridicule — is extremely common.
Common collocations
- 的に当たる — to hit the target
- 的を射る — to hit the mark; to be spot-on
- 的を絞る — to narrow one's target/focus
- 的を外す — to miss the mark
- 批判の的 — target of criticism
- 注目の的 — center of attention
- 嘲笑の的 — object of ridicule
Common expressions
的を射る literally means 'to hit the target' but is used idiomatically to mean 'to be accurate/on point.' Note: the correct form is 的を射る, not 的を得る, though the latter has become widely used.
NOTE ON 的:
The same kanji is read てき as a suffix meaning '-like, -ical' (e.g., 科学的 'scientific'), which is a completely different word.