見た目（みため、mitame）
- appearance

The word 見た目 means "appearance," "look," or "how something looks." It refers to the outward impression something gives, encompassing its visual characteristics. It's often about the first impression you get from something or someone. The word emphasizes the visual aspect rather than other senses. It's often used when talking about the aesthetic qualities of something. ⚫︎ It can refer to the physical appearance of a person, object, or place. ⚫︎ It can also refer to the impression or image that something creates. ⚫︎ The emphasis is on what you see, and how that is perceived.

⚫︎あのレストランは、見た目が良いね。 Translation: That restaurant has a good appearance/looks nice. ⚫︎このケーキは見た目は美味しそうだけど、味がちょっと… Translation: This cake looks delicious, but the taste is a little… ⚫︎彼女の新しい服は見た目がとてもいい。 Translation: Her new clothes look very good.

⚫︎ You can use 見た目 in various situations. It's commonly used when discussing: ⚫︎ The aesthetics of objects (e.g., clothes, houses, food). ⚫︎ The appearance of people. ⚫︎ The overall impression of a place or event. ⚫︎ It's also frequently used in informal conversations. ⚫︎ It's a versatile word that you can use frequently.

⚫︎ 見た目 is typically written in hiragana as みため. ⚫︎ The kanji form 見た目is often used too. ⚫︎ It’s composed of the verb 見る (miru, to see) in its past tense form 見た (mita, saw/looked at) followed by the suffix 目 (me, eye/look). ⚫︎There are no significant variations in the okurigana.

⚫︎ 外見 (gaiken): This is a more formal synonym for "appearance" or "exterior." ⚫︎ ルックス (rukkusu): This is a loanword from English "looks," often used for a person's appearance. ⚫︎ 容姿 (yōshi): Physical appearance, usually for people. ⚫︎ 風貌 (fūbō): Appearance, often conveying an impression.

⚫︎ There aren't direct antonyms for 見た目, but words that describe other aspects than the appearance, or what is hidden. ⚫︎ Examples are 中身 (nakami, the contents, the inside) or 本質 (honshitsu, the essence).

この車の見た目はかっこいいけど、燃費は悪いらしい。 ・Translation: This car looks cool, but apparently the fuel efficiency is bad. ・Explanation: This sentence discusses the appearance of a car versus its functional aspect (fuel efficiency).

見た目だけじゃなくて、中身も大切だよ。 ・Translation: It's not just the appearance that matters; what's inside is also important. ・Explanation: This sentence stresses the importance of substance or content over mere appearance. It contrasts appearance with the more essential or deeper aspects of something.

The word 見た目 comes from the verb 見る (miru, to see) combined with 目 (me, eye). The past tense of 見る, which is 見た (mita), meaning "saw" or "looked at," is followed by 目, literally translating to "seen eye," but conceptually meaning "the look" or "appearance" of something or someone.