目下
めした · meshita · JLPT N2 · noun
present
目 (eye) + 下 (below): what sits just below your eyes right now = at present
Correct reading is もっか (mokka). めした (meshita) means subordinate or junior. 目下 is eye + below: the moment currently under your gaze, i.e. now.
下 — horizontal line 一 + mark below
下 is an indicative character: a long horizontal line represents a reference level, and a shorter stroke placed beneath it points to the area below. The original meaning 'below, down' comes directly from this spatial diagram, and it later extended to verbs like 'descend' and 'lower'.
もっか · mokka · JLPT N1 · noun
present
目 (eye) + 下 (under): eyes looking down at what is happening right now
目下 = 目 (eye, sight) + 下 (below, under): what lies within sight at this moment. Its reading もっか (mokka) is an older form of this 'in sight' sense, so think of 'now' as 'what is in view today'.
下 — horizontal line 一 + mark below
下 is an indicative character: a long horizontal line represents a reference level, and a shorter stroke placed beneath it points to the area below. The original meaning 'below, down' comes directly from this spatial diagram, and it later extended to verbs like 'descend' and 'lower'.