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人知れず (hitoshirezu) Japanese meaning: secretly | Kotomora

人ひと知しれず

ひ

と

し

れ

ず

JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

expression, adverb

secretly; unseen; inwardly

Describes an action done without others knowing or noticing; often carries a nuance of quiet, private, or hidden effort or emotion.

彼かれは人ひと知しれず努ど力

りょく

を

続つづ

け

て

い

た

。

He continued his efforts secretly, without anyone knowing.

人ひと知しれず涙なみだを流ながした。

I shed tears in private.

Kanji

人person
知know, wisdom

Related words

こっそりN3
こっそり is a casual word for doing something furtively or sneakily, while 人知れず is more literary and describes quiet, unobserved effort or emotion without implying mischief.

Built from

人ひと+知しれる

Etymology

From 人 (ひと, 'person') + 知れず (しれず, the negative continuative of 知れる 'to become known'), literally 'without people knowing'. The phrase is a fixed adverbial expression.