1.
ignoring what one hears; letting something pass without responding
The act of hearing something but choosing not to respond to it or act on it. Most commonly appears in the negative pattern 聞き捨てならない, meaning something one cannot ignore.
その発言は聞き捨てならない。
That remark cannot be ignored.
聞き捨てならないことを言われて、反論した。
I was told something I couldn't let pass, so I argued back.
友人の悪口を聞き捨てにできず、「それは違う」と口を挟んだ。
Unable to let the badmouthing of my friend pass, I interjected, "That's not true."
Compound of 聞き (hearing) + 捨て (discarding). Almost always used in the negative.
KEY PATTERNS:
- 聞き捨てならない (cannot be ignored; something outrageous)
- 聞き捨てにできない (cannot let pass)
- 聞き捨てにする (to let pass without comment — rare, literary)
USAGE NOTE:
The phrase 聞き捨てならない expresses indignation — the speaker feels compelled to respond because what they heard was offensive, unfair, or outrageous. It is a moderately formal expression used in both speech and writing.