知しらぬ顔かおの半はん兵べ衛え

し

ら

ぬ

か

お

の

は

ん

べ

え

Meanings

1

expression, noun

feigned ignorance; pretending not to know

Idiomatic expression describing someone who acts as if they know nothing about a matter, often to avoid responsibility or involvement. The name 半兵衛 is a placeholder for a person; the phrase literally means 'Hanbei with an unknowing face'.

彼かれは知しらぬ顔

かお

の

半はん

兵べ

衛え

を

決き

め

込こ

ん

で

いる

。

He is playing dumb, pretending not to know anything.

あの人ひとはいつも知しらぬ顔かおの半はん兵べ衛えで、責せき任にんを取とろうとしない。

That person always feigns ignorance and never takes responsibility.

Kanji

知know, wisdom
顔face, expression
半half, middle, odd number
兵soldier, private, troops
衛defense, protection

Related words

知しらんぷり
知らんぷり is a more common and casual expression for pretending not to notice or ignoring something, while 知らぬ顔の半兵衛 is a more colorful, idiomatic phrase emphasizing deliberate feigned ignorance.
とぼける
とぼける is a verb meaning to play dumb or feign ignorance, often in a more lighthearted or evasive manner, whereas 知らぬ顔の半兵衛 is a noun phrase describing the act or state of pretending not to know.

Built from

知しらぬ顔かお+半はん兵べ衛え

Etymology

The phrase combines 知らぬ顔 (unknowing face) with the common male given name 半兵衛 (Hanbei), creating a personified image of someone who feigns ignorance. The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely arose as a playful, idiomatic expression in colloquial Japanese.