Translation guide
The act of secretly allowing or ignoring wrongdoing, often by turning a blind eye. In Japanese, this is expressed through nouns, verbs, and idiomatic phrases that convey tacit approval, overlooking, or collusion.
To describe the act of pretending not to notice something wrong and thereby allowing it to continue.
The most direct and common term for connivance, meaning tacit approval or willful ignorance. Often used in formal or serious contexts like business or politics.
上司の不正を黙認していた。
I was conniving at my boss's misconduct.
Literally 'to pretend not to see'. A very common, slightly colloquial phrase for turning a blind eye to something.
彼はいじめを見て見ぬふりをした。
He connived at the bullying by pretending not to see it.
A more formal or literary term meaning to overlook or pass over in silence. Often used in legal or official contexts.
違反行為を黙過することはできない。
We cannot connive at violations.
Means to overlook or let pass, often implying negligence rather than deliberate connivance. Used in formal writing.
その問題を看過してはならない。
We must not connive at that problem.
Literally 'to close one's eyes'. A common, slightly informal way to say you are deliberately ignoring something.
親は子供のいたずらに目をつぶった。
The parents connived at their child's mischief.
To describe working together secretly, often for a dishonest purpose.
Means conspiracy or collusion. Used when two or more parties secretly plan something, often illegal.
彼らは共謀して証拠を隠滅した。
They connived to destroy the evidence.
Implies collusion or conspiracy, often with a negative connotation of banding together for selfish ends.
Literally 'to join hands behind the scenes'. A colloquial way to describe secret cooperation.
ライバル会社と裏で手を組んでいた。
They were conniving with a rival company behind the scenes.
To describe tolerating or indulging someone's minor misbehavior, often with affection or leniency.
Means to overlook or be lenient about a minor fault. Very common in everyday speech.
今回だけは大目に見てあげる。
I'll connive at it just this once.
Literally 'to spill from one's eyes', meaning to deliberately overlook a fault. Slightly colloquial.
先生は遅刻に目こぼしをしてくれた。
The teacher connived at my lateness.
黙認 (もくにん) is a formal noun/suru-verb often used in serious contexts like corporate or political scandals. 見て見ぬふりをする is a more vivid, everyday phrase describing the act of pretending not to see something. Both convey connivance, but 黙認 implies a more conscious, sustained allowance.
会社は汚職を黙認していた。
The company was conniving at corruption.
道で倒れている人を見て見ぬふりをした。
I connived at the person lying on the street by pretending not to see.
There is no single Japanese word that perfectly matches all nuances of 'connivance'. Avoid trying to translate it directly in every context. Instead, choose the expression that best fits the specific situation: tacit approval, turning a blind eye, or collusion.
役人と業者が結託して不正を行った。
Officials connived with contractors to commit fraud.