“see eye to eye”
「意見が一致する／同じ考えを持つ」
【例文】
・My sister and I don’t always see eye to eye, but we still get along well.
「姉と私はいつも意見が一致するわけじゃないけど、それでも仲良くやってる。」
【解説・豆知識】
このフレーズは、二人の人が直接目を見つめ合っているとき、物理的に目が合うことから来ています。そのため、「see eye to eye」は、人々が同じ考えや意見を持っていることを表します。この表現は、友達や家族、同僚など、さまざまな人間関係において意見の一致や不一致を示す際に使われます。
【似た表現はコレだ！】
1. be on the same page（考えが一致する）
・Before we start the project, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page.
⇒プロジェクトを始める前に、みんなが考えが一致していることを確認しよう。
2. agree with someone（誰かと同意見である）
・I agree with you; we should definitely try that new restaurant.
⇒君と同意見だよ、絶対あの新しいレストランに行ってみるべきだ。
3. share the same opinion（同じ意見を持つ）
・It’s nice to meet someone who shares the same opinion on this topic.
⇒この話題で同じ意見を持つ人に会えてうれしい。
4. have a meeting of the minds（意見が一致する）
・After a long discussion, we finally had a meeting of the minds and agreed on a plan.
⇒長い議論の後、やっと意見が一致し、計画に同意した。
5. be in agreement（意見が一致する）
・The whole team was in agreement that we needed to change our strategy.
⇒チーム全員が、戦略を変更する必要があると意見が一致した。
The Meaning and Origin of “See Eye to Eye”
Have you ever heard the phrase “see eye to eye”? It is a common expression that means two people agree on something.
The origin of this phrase can be traced back to ancient times. In the Bible, in the book of Isaiah, it says, “Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.” This passage is often interpreted to mean that if two people see eye to eye, they are both looking at the same thing and have the same perspective.
However, the phrase “see eye to eye” did not become popular until the 1800s. It was used by writers such as Charles Dickens and Mark Twain in their novels and by politicians in their speeches.
Today, “see eye to eye” is still commonly used in everyday conversation. It is a reminder that even if people have different opinions, it is important to try to see things from someone else’s point of view in order to reach an agreement.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What does the phrase “see eye to eye” mean?
2. Where can the origin of this phrase be traced back to?
3. Who were some famous writers and politicians that used this phrase?
4. Why is it important to try to see things from someone else’s point of view?
5. Can you give an example of a situation where you had to “see eye to eye” with someone?
Answers:
1. The phrase “see eye to eye” means two people agree on something.
2. The origin of this phrase can be traced back to the Bible, in the book of Isaiah.
3. Charles Dickens and Mark Twain used this phrase in their novels and politicians used it in their speeches.
4. It is important to try to see things from someone else’s point of view in order to reach an agreement.
5. Answers may vary.
