傍若無人(ぼうじゃくぶじん)

ぼうじゃくぶじん
noun, na-adjective
arrogant, behaving as if no one else exists
descriptive
1. arrogant, behaving as if no one else exists
A four-character idiom describing someone who acts selfishly and inconsiderately, as if they were completely alone and others don't matter.
彼(かれ)は傍若無人(ぼうじゃくぶじん)に振(ふ)る舞(ま)った。
He behaved arrogantly, as if no one else mattered.
電車(でんしゃ)の中(なか)で傍若無人(ぼうじゃくぶじん)な態度(たいど)を取(と)る人(ひと)がいる。
There are people who behave inconsiderately on trains.
傍若無人(ぼうじゃくぶじん)な運転(うんてん)で事故(じこ)を起(お)こした。
The reckless driving caused an accident.

FOUR-CHARACTER IDIOM (四字熟語(よじじゅくご))

Literal meaning: 傍(かたわ)ら (beside) + 若(ごと)し (as if) + 無人(むじん) (no people) = Acting as if there were no one beside you.

Origin: From the Chinese historical text 《史記(しき)》 (Records of the Grand Historian), describing the behavior of the assassin 荊軻(けいか) (Jing Ke).

Common patterns

  • 傍若無人(ぼうじゃくぶじん)な＋noun (arrogant ~)
  • 傍若無人(ぼうじゃくぶじん)に＋verb (arrogantly)
  • 傍若無人(ぼうじゃくぶじん)な振(ふ)る舞(ま)い (arrogant behavior)

Common collocations

Nuance: Strongly negative, implying selfishness and complete disregard for others.

Related words

Related Words

Related: 厚顔無恥(こうがんむち)
Synonym: 横柄(おうへい) (arrogant)
Related: 尊大(そんだい) (arrogant, self-important)
general
Added 2026.1.17 21:06 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
06000/06391_boujakubujin