Japanese grammar
What does ～はいざ知らず mean? Japanese grammar N1
～はいざ知らず means it may be so for…, but as for… (surprising).
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N1 |
|---|---|
| Structure | N + はいざ知らず 普通形 + のはいざ知らず |
| Romaji | haizashirazu |
| Meaning | it may be so for…, but as for… (surprising) |
Forming it
| Noun (person) | 新人 + はいざ知らず |
|---|---|
| Noun (season) | 夏 + はいざ知らず |
How to use it
States that A is still understandable, but B goes beyond what's reasonable. Formal, literary.
- 「～はいざ知らず」 = "A is one thing, but B…". The following clause states something unexpected/hard to accept.
- Close to 「～ならいざ知らず」 (N1-122); the 「は」 version is used when A is the topic of comparison, the 「なら」 version emphasizes a hypothesis.
- The following clause often ends with 「～とは」, 「～なんて」 expressing surprise.
Examples
夏はいざ知らず、冬に冷たい物ばかり食べるのは体に悪い。
In summer maybe, but eating only cold things in winter is bad for you.
新人はいざ知らず、ベテランがこんなミスをするとは。
A newcomer, perhaps — but for a veteran to make such a mistake…
Keep in mind
- A is the easier-to-understand case.
- The clause that follows states something surprising.
Common mistakes
-
Wrongベテランはいざ知らず、新人がミスをした。
A newcomer is one thing, but for a veteran to make a mistake is strange.
Correct新人はいざ知らず、ベテランがミスをするとは。
A must be the EASIER-to-accept case and B the harder one; reversing them breaks the comparison logic.
-
Wrong夏はいざ知らず、冬も暖かい。
Summer is one thing, but winter is warm too.
Correct夏はいざ知らず、冬にこの薄着は寒すぎる。
The following clause states something HARD to accept/surprising, not a neutral remark.
Exam tips
- 「はいざ知らず」 = A is one thing, but B…; the following clause states something unexpected.