GRAMMAR DETAIL
〜ふりをする
Indicates intentionally acting as if something were true when the actual situation is different.
Examples
弟は宿題をしていないのに、終わったふりをした。
My younger brother had not done his homework, but he pretended he had finished it.
Words used
彼は聞こえないふりをして、その場を離れた。
He pretended not to hear and left the scene.
Words used
彼は眠っているふりをして会話を聞いていた。
He pretended to be asleep while listening to the conversation.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure:
ふりをするdescribes deliberately acting as if an action or state were real when it is not. - Basic usage:
彼は眠っているふりをして会話を聞いていた。describes listening to the conversation while outwardly pretending to sleep.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Connecting nouns and na-adjectives
- Nouns take
の, as in病気のふりをする, while na-adjectives takeな, as in平気なふりをする. In both, the presented state precedesふり.
- Nouns take
- What a negative form places inside the pretense
知らないふりをするmeans pretending not to know, whereas知っているふりをするmeans pretending to know. The negation applies to the outwardly presented state of knowledge rather than to the act of pretending.