ojito derecho

Literally: Little right eye

Example: “El pequeño es el ojito derecho de su abuelo.” — The youngest boy is the apple of his grandfather's eye.

English equivalent: The apple of one's eye

Origin: The right eye, like the right hand, stands for the better and more trusted of a pair: in Spanish, as in many languages, the right side is the favored one, and the diminutive ojito adds affection. Being someone's ojito derecho is being their favorite, usually a child or a protégé. It is close to the older la niña de sus ojos (the apple of one's eye), where niña is the pupil. No source dates the phrase or tells its story.