Translation guide
How to express the action of looking away or turning one's gaze aside in Japanese, including physical and figurative uses.
To turn one's eyes or face away from something, often to avoid eye contact or to look in a different direction.
The most common and natural way to say 'look away' or 'avert one's gaze'. Used when someone deliberately turns their eyes away from something.
彼は私から目をそらした。
He looked away from me.
その子は恥ずかしそうに目をそらした。
The child looked away shyly.
To deliberately not pay attention to something, to turn a blind eye, or to pretend not to notice.
To pretend not to see; to turn a blind eye. Very common for ignoring something intentionally.
彼は不正行為を見て見ぬふりをした。
He turned a blind eye to the misconduct.
Both mean 'to look away', but 目をそらす is more common in everyday speech and often implies avoiding eye contact due to discomfort or guilt. 視線を外す is slightly more formal and neutral, simply describing the action of breaking eye contact.
彼はうそをつくとき、いつも目をそらす。
He always looks away when he lies.
会話中に視線を外すのは失礼だ。
It's rude to look away during a conversation.
The English phrase 'looking aside' does not have a single direct equivalent in Japanese. Avoid literal translations like '脇を見る' (わきをみる) unless you specifically mean looking to the side physically. For the common meaning of averting one's gaze, use 目をそらす.
Literally 'remove one's gaze'. Slightly more formal or written than 目をそらす. Often used when someone intentionally breaks eye contact.
彼女は窓の外に視線を外した。
She looked away out the window.
To turn one's face to the side. Implies a physical turning of the head rather than just the eyes.
彼は何も言わずに横を向いた。
He turned aside without saying anything.
Looking aside or glancing away, often used in the context of driving or when one should be paying attention. Can imply a momentary distraction.
運転中にわき見をしてはいけない。
Don't look aside while driving.
Literally 'close one's eyes', but figuratively means to overlook or tolerate something, often with a nuance of forgiveness.
今回は彼の失敗に目をつぶってあげよう。
I'll overlook his mistake this time.
To turn away (one's face) in a huff or to ignore someone. More about snubbing or cold-shouldering.
彼女は怒ってそっぽを向いた。
She got angry and looked away (ignoring me).