without knowing; unaware of; not having
Noun suffix that attaches to a noun or verb stem to mean 'without knowing X' or 'unaffected by X'. Often used in set phrases like 見知らず (without knowing someone) or 我知らず (unconsciously).
He was asked for directions by a stranger (someone he didn't know).
aside from; not to mention; let alone
Conjunction used in the pattern ～は知らず to mean 'leaving aside X' or 'I don't know about X, but...'. It sets aside a topic to focus on another.
I know not whether; I know not if
Archaic conjunction used at the beginning of a sentence to express uncertainty. Not used in modern Japanese outside of classical or poetic contexts.
I know not whether this path is right.
Tears spilled over without my realizing it.
I don't know about the result, but the effort itself has meaning.
I don't know about others, but I'm against that opinion.
ignorant of the ways of the world; naive; unworldly
unconsciously; without realizing; unwittingly
not taking no for an answer; ignoring another's disapproval
involuntarily; unconsciously; without realizing
prickly heat powder; baby powder; talc powder
labyrinth; maze
self-conceit; overconfidence; neglecting one's health
ignorance; stupidity; ignorant person; stupid person
labyrinth; maze
skyrocketing; ceilingless; unbounded
Standard spelling for the suffix and conjunction uses.
Uncommon kanji spelling; mainly found in older or formal texts.
Derived from the negative continuative form of the verb 知る (to know). The suffix and conjunction uses developed from this grammatical form.