Translation guide
How to express looking, staring, or responding without expression, emotion, or understanding in Japanese.
彼はぼんやりと見つめた。
He stared blankly.
Describing a vacant, emotionless gaze or look.
The most common way to say 'stare blankly' or 'look vacantly'. ぼんやり means absent-mindedly or vacantly.
彼は窓の外をぼんやりと見ていた。
He was staring blankly out the window.
Literally 'look with empty eyes', emphasizing a lack of emotion or life in the eyes.
彼女は虚ろな目で壁を見つめていた。
She was staring blankly at the wall with empty eyes.
Means 'stare expressionlessly'. More literal and less common in casual speech.
彼は無表情で私を見つめた。
He stared at me blankly.
Reacting to something with a blank, uncomprehending, or emotionless expression.
Describes a blank, puzzled, or dumbfounded look, often when surprised or not understanding.
突然の質問に、彼はきょとんとしていた。
He looked blankly at the sudden question.
Similar to きょとん, but often implies a more open-mouthed, stunned blankness.
その知らせを聞いて、彼はぽかんと口を開けた。
He gaped blankly at the news.
Means 'unresponsive' or 'showing no reaction'. Can sound clinical.
彼は私の冗談に無反応だった。
He was blankly unresponsive to my joke.
Describing a state of zoning out or being lost in thought with a blank expression.
The verb form for spacing out or being absent-minded. Can be used for both the action and the state.
授業中、ぼんやりしていた。
I was staring blankly during class.
Means 'head in the clouds', not paying attention, often with a blank look.
彼は上の空で、私の話を聞いていなかった。
He was blankly staring off and not listening to me.
Doing something mechanically, without conscious thought, often with a blank expression.
Means 'mechanically' or 'automatically', implying a blank, unthinking manner.
彼は機械的にうなずいた。
He nodded blankly.
Means 'unconsciously' or 'without awareness', often used for blank, automatic actions.
彼女は無意識にペンをいじっていた。
She was blankly fiddling with her pen.
ぼんやり is for a vacant, unfocused stare. きょとん is for a puzzled, blank look (often with wide eyes). ぽかん is for a stunned, open-mouthed blankness.
彼はぼんやりとテレビを見ていた。
He was watching TV blankly (zoned out).
質問の意味がわからず、きょとんとした。
Not understanding the question, I looked blankly puzzled.
突然の出来事に、ぽかんと口を開けた。
At the sudden event, I gaped blankly.
Do not translate 'blankly' as 空白に or ブランクに. These are not used for expressions or manner. Use the adverbial forms like ぼんやりと or set phrases like きょとんとする.
彼女は私をぼんやりと見た。
She looked at me blankly.
彼は機械的に答えた。
He answered blankly.