godless; fearing nothing, not even God
Fixed expression describing someone utterly fearless or irreverent, often with a negative moral connotation. Used attributively to modify a person or action.
He committed a deed that showed no fear even of God.
Means 'knowing no fear' in general, without the specific religious or moral weight of '神をも恐れぬ'.
Standard kanji spelling using 恐れる.
Variant using 畏れる, emphasizing awe or reverence rather than fear.
Rarely used kanji form with 怖れる.
A set phrase composed of 神 (god), を (object marker), も (even), and the negative form of 恐れる (to fear). The exact origin is uncertain, but it appears in classical and literary contexts to denote extreme irreverence.