How to say "overlook" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 見逃すみのがすgodan verb, transitive verbFor overlooking in the sense of failing to notice or missing something — a mistake, a chance, something happening before you — and also for deliberately letting a fault or offense go unpunished.
- 見下ろすみおろすgodan verb, transitive verbThe spatial sense: a high place or building overlooking something below and commanding a view of it. Its other sense, looking down on someone with contempt, is a different meaning again.
- 見落とすみおとすgodan verb, transitive verbOverlooking something that was there to be seen — a detail, an error, an item on a list — because the eye skipped over it; the natural choice when checking something and missing part of it.
- 臨むのぞむgodan verb, intransitive verbFor a building, room, or site that overlooks or fronts onto the sea, a river, or a garden, with the place itself as the subject rather than a person looking.
- 見過ごすみすごすgodan verb, transitive verbTo let something go by or pass — seeing a problem or fault and letting it go unaddressed — as well as simply failing to notice it. The nuance is of something passing before you unchallenged.
For failing to notice something, choose among 「見逃す」, 「見落とす」, and 「見過ごす」 by nuance; for the spatial sense of a place with a view, use 「見下ろす」 for looking down from above and 「臨む」 for fronting onto scenery.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 見逃すみのがすto miss
- 見下ろすみおろすto overlook
- 見落とすみおとすto overlook
- 臨むのぞむto look out on
- 見過ごすみすごすto let go by
- 見晴らすみはらすto command a view
- 大目に見るおおめにみるto overlook (a mistake, fault, etc.)
- 聞き捨てにするききずてにするto overlook
- 聞き捨てるききすてるto ignore
- 不問に付すふもんにふすto ignore (a fault, misstep, issue, etc.)
- 不問に付するふもんにふするto ignore (a fault, misstep, issue, etc.)
- 等閑に付すとうかんにふすto neglect
- 見晴台みはらしだいlookout platform
- 望むのぞむto see
- 逸するいっするto overlook
- 見晴らしみはらしviewing platform
- 見損なうみそこなうto miss seeing
- 逸すいっすto overlook
- 黙すもだすto disregard
- 目をつぶるめをつぶるto turn a blind eye (to)
See also
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