1.
single eyelid; monolid (eyelid without a crease)
An eyelid that does not have a visible fold or crease above the eyelashes — one of the two basic Japanese descriptive categories for eyelid shape, the other being 二重まぶた (double eyelid). Common in East Asian populations and a major topic in makeup and cosmetic-surgery discussions in Japan.
彼女は一重まぶただ。
She has single eyelids.
一重まぶたに似合うメイクを探している。
I am looking for makeup that suits single eyelids.
子どもの頃は一重まぶただったが、成長とともに二重になった。
I had single eyelids when I was a child, but they became double as I grew up.
Composed of 一重 (single layer, one-fold) and まぶた (eyelid). Describes an eyelid with no visible crease above the lash line. It is one of the standard physical-description terms in Japanese — not considered negative in itself, though many people who have 一重まぶた discuss makeup tricks or cosmetic surgery (二重整形) to create a crease.
USAGE:
- Used both attributively (一重まぶたの人 "a person with single eyelids") and as a predicate (私は一重まぶたです "I have single eyelids").
- Paired frequently with its opposite 二重まぶた (double eyelid). Note that 二重 here is read ふたえ, not にじゅう.
- Common in beauty magazines, makeup tutorials, and cosmetic-surgery advertisements. In casual speech, people often drop まぶた and say just 一重 ("I'm a hitoe").
CULTURAL NOTE:
In Japan, eyelid shape is discussed much more openly than in many Western countries. Double eyelids (二重まぶた) are widely considered more fashionable, and products such as double-eyelid adhesive tapes and glues (アイプチ, アイテープ) are sold in drugstores. There are also people with 奥二重 — a partial crease hidden behind the eyelid — which is often counted as its own category.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 一重まぶたの人: a person with single eyelids
- 一重まぶたから二重になる: to go from single to double eyelids
- 一重まぶた向けのメイク: makeup designed for single eyelids
- 一重まぶたを活かす: to make the most of single eyelids
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 二重まぶた: double eyelid — the contrasting shape with a visible crease
- 奥二重: hidden double eyelid — a crease that is partly hidden by the upper lid
- まぶた: eyelid — the base noun
- 目元: the area around the eyes — a broader cosmetic term