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〜をよそに

ignoring, unconcerned by

Noun + をよそに

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をよそに means someone carries on regardless of other people's feelings or the situation around them: 親の心配をよそに、息子は一人で旅に出た, "ignoring his parents' worries, the son set off travelling alone".

The noun is usually other people's worry, opposition, criticism or excitement: 心配, 反対, 不安, 期待, 騒ぎ. The second half is what the subject did anyway. It can be critical ("inconsiderately"), or just descriptive: 周りの騒ぎをよそに、赤ちゃんはぐっすり眠っていた, "oblivious to the commotion, the baby slept soundly".

よそ means "somewhere else", so it's literally "treating it as someone else's business". Compare も構わず (N2), "without caring about", and をものともせず, which is about overcoming obstacles bravely.

Examples

  • 親おやの心配しんぱいをよそに、息子むすこは一人ひとりで旅たびに出でた。

    Ignoring his parents' worries, the son set off travelling alone.

  • 周囲しゅういの反対はんたいをよそに、彼かれは会社かいしゃを辞やめた。

    In spite of everyone's objections, he quit his job.

  • 住民じゅうみんの不安ふあんをよそに、工事こうじは進すすめられた。

    The construction went ahead, regardless of residents' concerns.

  • 周まわりの騒さわぎをよそに、赤あかちゃんはぐっすり眠ねむっていた。

    Oblivious to the commotion, the baby slept soundly.

  • 世間せけんの期待きたいをよそに、彼かれは突然引退とつぜんいんたいを発表はっぴょうした。

    Ignoring the public's hopes, he suddenly announced his retirement.

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