目立たない
めだたない
i-adjective
inconspicuous, unnoticeable
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 目立たない | 目立たなくない |
| Past | 目立たなかった | 目立たなくなかった |
| て form | 目立たなくて | 目立たなくなくて |
| Adverbial | 目立たなく | — |
| Conditional ば | 目立たなければ | 目立たなくなければ |
| Conditional たら | 目立たなかったら | 目立たなくなかったら |
1.
inconspicuous, unnoticeable, not standing out
Describes something or someone that does not attract attention or is hard to notice. The negative form of 目立つ (to stand out).
目立たない色の服を選んだ。
I chose clothes in an inconspicuous color.
傷は小さくて目立たない。
The scratch is small and barely noticeable.
彼はクラスの中では目立たない存在だった。
He was an inconspicuous presence in the class.
The negative form of 目立つ (to stand out), functioning as an independent adjective. While grammatically a verb negation, 目立たない is commonly used as a standalone descriptor, much like an adjective.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 目立たない場所: an inconspicuous spot
- 目立たない存在: an unnoticeable presence
- 目立たないように: so as not to stand out
- なるべく目立たないようにする: to try not to attract attention
USAGE:
Often used when someone deliberately tries to avoid attention, or when describing something that blends in. Can be either positive (subtle, tasteful) or negative (overlooked, ignored) depending on context.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 地味: plain, subdued — describes the quality itself, not just visibility
- 控えめ: modest, restrained — implies deliberate understatement
- 影が薄い: having a thin shadow — idiom for someone with a weak presence