見て見ぬふり (mite minu furi): When 'Ignoring' is an Art

Have you ever been on a train and seen a drunk person dozing off, their shoulder slowly slumping onto the person next to them? 😅 Or seen a colleague secretly watching videos during work hours?

In such 'awkward' situations, many Japanese people will employ a master-level social 'skill': 見て見ぬふり (mite minu furi).

This isn't an attitude of indifference, but an entire art of conduct that holds many layers of meaning.

👀 What does "Seeing but Pretending Not to See" mean?

Let's break down the words:

• 見て (mite): To see, to look
• 見ぬ (minu): The classical form of 見ない (minai), meaning 'not to see'
• ふり (furi): To pretend, to feign

➡️ Put together, 見て見ぬふり means "to see but pretend not to see." This is the conscious act of choosing to 'ignore' something that one has witnessed.

🤔 Why do the Japanese do this?

This isn't necessarily apathy, but often stems from very characteristic Japanese cultural thoughts:

• Avoiding trouble (面倒事を避ける): This is the primary reason. Intervening in someone else's business can lead to unnecessary trouble.
• Respecting privacy: The Japanese place a high value on personal space. They believe that other people's business should be left for them to resolve.
• Maintaining harmony (和を保つ): Pointing out someone's mistake can cause them to lose face and disrupt the overall harmony. 'Ignoring' is sometimes the way to keep things peaceful.

Real-life examples:

• On the train 🚃: Seeing someone putting on makeup on the train (an act considered thoughtless), most people will 見て見ぬふり.
• At the office 🏢: Seeing a colleague make a small, unimportant mistake in a document, instead of pointing it out in front of everyone, they might 見て見ぬふり or wait for a private moment to mention it.
• On the street 🏙️: A couple is having a rather intense argument. Passersby will usually just walk past, as if nothing is happening.

⚠️ The other side of the coin

However, 見て見ぬふり also has its downside. In serious cases like bullying (いじめ), harassment (痴漢), or when someone is in real need of help, this act of 'ignoring' becomes irresponsible and reprehensible apathy.

The most difficult part of applying this 'art' is distinguishing the line between 'subtlety' and 'indifference'.

✨ In summary, 見て見ぬふり is an extremely practical phrase that deeply reflects the Japanese mindset of prioritizing harmony and avoiding conflict. Understanding it not only helps you understand a phrase, but also provides deeper insight into how Japanese people behave to keep society running (relatively) smoothly.