見ないで
minaide
To say "stop looking at me" in Japanese, you use 見ないで (minaide).
The phrase is a request or command for someone to stop directing their gaze toward the speaker. In Japanese, the object "at me" is often omitted when the context makes it clear who is being looked at.
How do you pronounce it?
minaide
Did you know?
- In Japan, prolonged eye contact is often perceived as an aggressive act or a challenge rather than a sign of interest. Using 見ないで might actually be a way to de-escalate a tense social situation.
- While 見ないで means 'do not look', if someone is staring rudely, a Japanese person might use the word ジロジロ to describe the action. This onomatopoeia specifically mimics the act of staring someone up and down.
- In highly formal or archaic Japanese, the act of looking was often linked to the soul. Some traditional beliefs suggest that an intense gaze could steal a person's spirit or bring bad luck.
Examples in context
- そんなに見ないで。Sonna ni minaide.Stop looking at me like that.
- 恥ずかしいから、見ないで！Hazukashii kara, minaide!I'm embarrassed, so stop looking at me!
- こっちを見ないでください。Kocchi o minaide kudasai.Please stop looking at me.
Example conversation
Yui is embarrassed because Hiroto is staring at her in a cafe.
- 結衣 Yuiねえ、大翔、そんなに見ないで。Nee, Hiroto, sonna ni minaide.Hey, Hiroto, stop looking at me like that.
- 大翔 Hirotoごめん、結衣が可愛かったから。Gomen, Yui ga kawaikatta kara.Sorry, it's because you were cute, Yui.
- 結衣 Yuiもう、恥ずかしいよ。Mou, hazukashii yo.Geez, it's embarrassing.
- 大翔 Hirotoわかった、もう見ないよ。Wakatta, mou minai yo.Got it, I won't look anymore.
