見知(みし)らぬ人(ひと)

Uses the classical negative auxiliary ぬ (attached to the verb 見知(みし)る, "to know by sight"), which is preserved as a fixed expression in modern Japanese. Sounds slightly more literary or formal than 知(し)らない人(ひと).

Common collocations

• 見知(みし)らぬ人(ひと)に声(こえ)をかけられる: to be spoken to by a stranger
• 見知(みし)らぬ土地(とち): unfamiliar land
• 見知(みし)らぬ顔(かお): an unfamiliar face
• 見知(みし)らぬ番号(ばんごう): an unknown number

Similar words

• 知(し)らない人(ひと): someone you don't know — the everyday, conversational equivalent
• 他人(たにん): other person; stranger — emphasizes social distance or non-relation
• 赤(あか)の他人(たにん): a complete stranger — emphatic form stressing total lack of connection