Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 8: 17/19

を余所(よそ)にIgnoring, Disregarding, Despite

Structure

Noun + をよそに
Phrase + の + をよそに

Details

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    Formal

About をよそに

を余所(よそ)に is used to express that (A) is something that effectively has nothing to do with the speaker, or that the speaker is ignoring it in relation to something else. It may be translated as 'ignoring (A)', or 'disregarding (A)'. It is a combination of the adverbial particle を, the noun 余所(よそ) 'other place', and the case-marking particle に. Due to this, its literal meaning is close to 'putting (A) completely aside, (B)'.

This structure will follow nouns, or phrases that have been nominalized with の. It is reasonably formal, so will be seen more often in writing.

The most common pattern for をよそに to follow is that (A) expresses some overall situation, while (B) indicates an action that is being done without any thought or care given toward those circumstances. Because of this, it is often used critically about actions that are seen as irresponsible.

Caution

While this grammar point will primarily highlight the actions of people, it will not be used to refer to the speaker's own actions.

  • 私(わたし)は両親(りょうしん)の反対(はんのう)をよそに、彼(かれ)と結婚(けっこん)することにした。
    Ignoring my parents' objections, I decided to marry him. (Unnatural Japanese)

Examples

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    メアリーと武(たけし)は親(おや)の反対(はんたい)を余所(よそ)に一緒(いっしょ)になった。

    Ignoring objections from their parents, Mary and Takeshi got together.

    母(はは)の心配(しんぱい)を余所(よそ)に、彼(かれ)は商船(しょうせん)の船員(せんいん)になった。

    Ignoring his mother's worries, he has become a merchant seaman.

    彼(かれ)は泣(な)いている子猫(こねこ)を余所(よそ)に、そのまま猫(ねこ)を置(お)き去(ざ)りにして行(い)ったのです。

    Disregarding that it was a crying kitten, he completely abandoned it and went like that.

      ピーターは周(まわ)りの忠告(ちゅうこく)を余所(よそ)に、MMORPGゲームばかりすることを存分(ぞんぶん)に楽(たの)しんだ。

      Ignoring the advice of those close to him, Peter does nothing but play MMORPG games to his heart's content

      私(わたし)たちがその衝撃的(しょうげきてき)な言葉(ことば)の意味(いみ)をまだ飲(の)み込(こ)めてないのを余所(よそ)に彼女(かのじょ)は説明(せつめい)を続(つづ)けた。

      Ignoring that we still haven't digested the meaning of her shocking remark, she continued the explanation.

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