人 目(ひとめ)を忍(しの)ぶ

ひとめをしのぶ

expression

to avoid being seen; to act secretly

action society

1. to avoid being seen; to hide from public eyes; to act secretly

To deliberately avoid the notice or attention of others, often because of something one wants to keep private.

人目(ひとめ)を忍(しの)んで会(あ)った。

They met in secret, away from prying eyes.

二人(ふたり)は人目(ひとめ)を忍(しの)んで手(て)をつないだ。

The two held hands, hiding from the eyes of others.

有名人(ゆうめいじん)は人目(ひとめ)を忍(しの)んで裏口(うらぐち)から店(みせ)に入(はい)ることが多(おお)い。

Celebrities often enter shops through the back door to avoid being seen.

A somewhat literary expression meaning to avoid public notice. 忍(しの)ぶ here means "to endure" or "to conceal" — the expression literally means "to hide from people's eyes."

Etymology

人目(ひとめ): the eyes of others, public notice
忍(しの)ぶ: to endure; to conceal; to bear patiently

Usage

Secret meetings or relationships
Celebrities avoiding attention
Doing something privately that one is embarrassed about

Related words

人目(ひとめ)を避(さ)ける: to avoid people's eyes — more neutral and modern
人目(ひとめ)を気(き)にする: to care about what others see — about self-consciousness
人目(ひとめ)につく: to catch people's attention — the opposite: being noticed
こっそり: secretly, stealthily — everyday adverb for doing things unseen

Related Words

Related: こっそり (secretly, stealthily)

general

Added 2026.4.2 2:25 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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