目(め)を離(はな)す

Very commonly used in parenting, childcare, and safety contexts. Almost always appears in negative or conditional forms — warning against looking away or describing what happened when someone did look away.

Common collocations

• 目(め)を離(はな)さないで: don't look away
• 目(め)を離(はな)した隙(すき)に: in the moment one looked away
• 一瞬(いっしゅん)目(め)を離(はな)す: to look away for just a moment
• 目(め)が離(はな)せない: cannot take one's eyes off (also means "riveting")

Similar words

• 目(め)が離(はな)せない: can't take one's eyes off — can mean both "must keep watching" (safety) and "captivating" (entertainment)
• 見守(みまも)る: to watch over — the positive action of keeping watch
• 油断(ゆだん)する: to let one's guard down — broader carelessness, not limited to visual attention

Usage

The related expression 目(め)が離(はな)せない has a dual meaning: "must keep watching" (parenting/safety) and "can't stop watching" (something fascinating). The volitional form 目(め)を離(はな)す specifically means the deliberate or momentary act of looking away.