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.
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.
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.
We cannot connive at violations.
Means to overlook or let pass, often implying negligence rather than deliberate connivance. Used in formal writing.
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.
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.
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.
To describe tolerating or indulging someone's minor misbehavior, often with affection or leniency.
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.
The company was conniving at corruption.
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.
They were conniving with a rival company behind the scenes.