Translation guide
How to express ignoring or refusing to listen to someone or something in Japanese, from casual to formal.
To deliberately not listen to someone's request, complaint, or advice.
To refuse to respond to a call for help, a plea, or a formal request.
Directly 'ignore a request'; suitable for formal or official contexts.
政府は国民の要請を無視した。
The government turned a deaf ear to the people's demands.
To act as if you didn't hear something, often to avoid responding.
Literally 'pretend not to hear'; the most direct equivalent for feigning deafness.
彼は私の質問に聞こえないふりをした。
He pretended not to hear my question.
Both mean refusing to listen, but 聞く耳を持たない is stronger and more emphatic, often implying stubbornness. 耳を貸さない can be used for a single instance of not listening.
The English idiom 'turn a deaf ear to' does not have a direct word-for-word equivalent in Japanese. Avoid literal translations like 耳を聞こえなくする. Use the phrases above depending on context.
彼は私の忠告に耳を貸さなかった。
He turned a deaf ear to my advice.
その会社は顧客の苦情を無視した。
The company turned a deaf ear to customer complaints.
Literally 'let it flow past one's ears'; to hear but not take seriously, to ignore casually.
彼の文句はいつも聞き流している。
I always just ignore his complaints.
Literally 'not lend an ear'; to refuse to listen, often used when someone won't even hear you out.
彼は私の意見に耳を貸さなかった。
He turned a deaf ear to my opinion.
General word for 'ignore'; can be used for ignoring sounds, people, or advice.
彼女は私の忠告を無視した。
She ignored my advice.
Literally 'not have an ear to listen'; a stronger, more emphatic way to say someone refuses to listen.
彼はこちらの言い分に聞く耳を持たなかった。
He wouldn't listen to our side of the story at all.
To not engage with what someone says; to brush off or not take up a topic.
彼の冗談は誰も取り合わなかった。
Nobody paid any attention to his joke.
To not grant a wish or request; implies a refusal to listen and act.
彼は私の願いを聞き入れなかった。
He turned a deaf ear to my plea.
Literally 'ignore the voice'; often used in social or political contexts for ignoring public opinion.
政治家は市民の声を無視した。
The politician turned a deaf ear to the citizens' voices.
To act as if you don't know or notice; can include ignoring sounds or people.
隣の部屋から変な音がしたが、知らんぷりをした。
A strange noise came from the next room, but I pretended not to notice.
To hear but disregard; somewhat literary or formal.
彼の言葉を聞き捨てにはできなかった。
I couldn't just ignore what he said.