pre-noun adjectival
casual; indifferent; nonchalant
Pre-noun adjectival (rentaishi) describing a person's demeanor or expression as unconcerned, unruffled, or as if nothing is wrong. Often used in phrases like さあらぬ体, さあらぬ顔, or さあらぬようす.
He told a lie with a nonchalant look on his face.
Pretending to be indifferent, she left the room.
Kanji form using 然; rare and literary. This is a possible kanji spelling.
Mixed kanji-kana form; rare and literary. This is a possible kanji spelling.
Derived from the classical Japanese phrase 然にあらぬ (sa ni aranu), literally 'not being so', which evolved into a fixed pre-noun adjectival meaning 'as if it were not so' or 'pretending nothing is the matter'.