見(み)ず知(し)らず

みずしらず
noun, no-adjective
total stranger; unknown person; someone never met before
1. total stranger; unknown person; someone one has never seen or met
A person one has never seen (見(み)ず) and does not know (知(し)らず). Emphasizes the complete lack of prior acquaintance.
見(み)ず知(し)らずの人(ひと)に話(はな)しかけられた。
I was spoken to by a total stranger.
見(み)ず知(し)らずの土地(とち)で迷(まよ)ってしまった。
I got lost in an unfamiliar place.
見(み)ず知(し)らずの人(ひと)を簡単(かんたん)に信用(しんよう)してはいけない。
You shouldn't easily trust people you don't know.

STRUCTURE:
見(み)ず (not having seen - negative form of 見(み)る)
+ 知(し)らず (not knowing - negative form of 知(し)る)

The classical negative suffix ず creates a formal/literary compound.

GRAMMAR:

  • 見(み)ず知(し)らずの + noun (as no-adjective)
  • 見(み)ず知(し)らずの人(ひと) - a person one doesn't know
  • 見(み)ず知(し)らずの土地(とち) - unfamiliar land

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 見(み)ず知(し)らずの人(ひと) - total stranger (person)
  • 見(み)ず知(し)らずの土地(とち)/場所(ばしょ) - unfamiliar place
  • 見(み)ず知(し)らずの他人(たにん) - complete stranger

NUANCE:
Can modify both people and places, unlike 赤(あか)の他人(たにん) which only refers to people.

SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:

  • 赤(あか)の他人(たにん) - complete stranger (emphasizes no relationship)
  • 知(し)らない人(ひと) - unknown person (simpler)
  • 行(ゆ)きずり - passerby, chance encounter
  • 初(はじ)めて会(あ)う人(ひと) - person meeting for the first time

REGISTER:
Slightly literary due to classical negative form ず. Natural in both spoken and written Japanese.

Related Words

Synonym: 赤(あか)の他人(たにん) (complete stranger)
general
Added 2026.1.19 22:50 · Revised 2026.1.24 23:24
07000/07456_mizushirazu