目(め)を閉(と)じる

The standard expression for closing one's eyes. Used in literal, meditative, and figurative contexts.

Common collocations

• Physical: relaxation, meditation, sleeping
• Figurative: death (euphemistic — 静(しず)かに目(め)を閉(と)じた 'peacefully closed their eyes')
• Figurative: deliberately ignoring something (不正(ふせい)に目(め)を閉(と)じる 'to turn a blind eye to corruption')

Related words

• 目(め)を開(あ)ける — to open one's eyes
• 目(め)をつぶる — to close one's eyes; to overlook (more colloquial)
• 目(め)を伏(ふ)せる — to cast one's eyes down

Similar words

• 目(め)をつぶる — also means 'to close one's eyes,' but more colloquial and more commonly used in the sense of overlooking or tolerating something (目(め)をつぶる is more natural for 'turning a blind eye' in casual speech)