1.
onlooker; rubbernecker; curious bystander
A person who gathers at the scene of an accident, fire, or other incident out of curiosity rather than involvement. Carries a negative nuance of being nosy or getting in the way.
野次馬が集まった。
Onlookers gathered.
事故現場に野次馬が大勢集まっていた。
A large crowd of onlookers had gathered at the accident scene.
野次馬根性で見に行くのはやめなさい。
Stop going to look out of idle curiosity.
USAGE:
野次馬 is almost always negative, implying nosiness or interference. It describes people who crowd around incidents without any real connection to what happened.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 野次馬が集まる (onlookers gather)
- 野次馬根性 (idle curiosity; rubbernecking mentality)
- 野次馬を追い払う (to shoo away onlookers)
ETYMOLOGY:
Originally referred to an old, useless horse (親父馬) that was unruly and hard to control, later applied to noisy, meddlesome spectators.