聞き流す|ききながすkikinagasu[4]nakadaka (mid-high)

Common
Definitions
  1. godan verb, transitive verbto pay no attention to (while listening); to take no notice of; to ignore; to let go in one ear and out the other
Conjugation
Dictionary form聞き流す(ききながす)
Polite (masu)聞き流します(ききながします)
Negative (nai)聞き流さない(ききながさない)
polite (masen)聞き流しません(ききながしません)
classical zu / nu聞き流さず・聞き流さぬ(ききながさず・ききながさぬ)
Past (ta)聞き流した(ききながした)
polite (mashita)聞き流しました(ききながしました)
Past negative (nakatta)聞き流さなかった(ききながさなかった)
polite (masen deshita)聞き流しませんでした(ききながしませんでした)
Te form聞き流して(ききながして)
Potential聞き流せる(ききながせる)
Passive聞き流される(ききながされる)
Causative聞き流させる(ききながさせる)
Causative passive聞き流させられる(ききながさせられる)
Conditional (ba)聞き流せば(ききながせば)
tara聞き流したら(ききながしたら)
Volitional聞き流そう(ききながそう)
polite (mashou)聞き流しましょう(ききながしましょう)
Imperative聞き流せ(ききながせ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym聞き過ごすききすごすNeutralClose to 「聞き流す」, but leans toward not noticing — words pass by without registering, or something heard is deliberately let go without a response.
  • Synonym聞き捨てるききすてるWrittenWritten/formal prose. Hearing something yet not taking it to heart; very often in the negative 「聞き捨てならない」.
  • Related無視むしNeutralNeutral. To treat something as if it did not exist and ignore it completely — colder than 「聞き流す」, which just lets words drift past.
  • Related黙殺もくさつWrittenWritten/formal prose. Deliberately making no response to an opinion or request; more calculated than 「聞き流す」, yet fine in everyday and workplace settings.
  • Related放っておくほうっておくCasualColloquial. To leave something be and neglect it; what you leave alone is not limited to words you hear.
  • Antonym聞き留めるWrittenWritten/formal prose. To listen with care and take something to heart — the opposite of 「聞き流す」, which lets it go in one ear and out the other.

Use 「聞き流す」 for hearing without taking to heart — letting nagging pass, as in 「小言を聞き流す」 — or playing audio casually while studying. For ignoring outright pick 「無視」; for giving an opinion or request no reply, 「黙殺」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions
  1. 聞きいたり聞きこえたりしても気きに止とめずにいる。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

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