傍観する
ぼうかんする·boukan suru
Meaning
to look on; to stand by; to be a bystander; to observe without getting involved
Nuance & Usage
傍観する describes watching a situation unfold without intervening — being a passive bystander. 傍観者 (boukansha — bystander, onlooker) is used critically when someone has the power to act but chooses not to. 傍観するだけでいいのか (Is it okay to just watch on the sidelines?) reflects moral questioning. In Japanese, 傍観 often carries a negative undertone — the expectation is that a morally responsible person should not merely 傍観 in the face of injustice or hardship.
Common Mistakes
Learners confuse 傍観する with 観察する (kansatsu suru — to observe carefully, neutral and scientific) and 見物する (kenbutsu suru — to watch/sightsee, positive). 傍観する specifically implies passive non-involvement when action would be appropriate or expected. 傍観者効果 (bystander effect) is the psychological term. 黙って傍観する (to silently look on) and 傍観を決め込む (to deliberately choose to stand by) emphasize the passive, often morally charged choice.
Example Sentences (3)
困っている人を傍観するだけでいいのか、と自問した。
こまっているひとをぼうかんするだけでいいのか、とじもんした。
I asked myself: is it really okay to just stand by while someone is struggling?
傍観者ではなく、当事者として問題に向き合うべきだ。
ぼうかんしゃではなく、とうじしゃとしてもんだいにむきあうべきだ。
We should face the issue as those directly involved, not as bystanders.
社会の不正を傍観し続けていては、問題は解決しない。
しゃかいのふせいをぼうかんしつづけていては、もんだいはかいけつしない。
If we keep standing by in the face of social injustice, problems will never be solved.
Quick Quiz
Quick Quiz
N14 questionsTest your knowledge of 傍観する with 4 different question types.
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