Japanese と言わんばかり: as if saying

The idea

Put the imagined words before と言わんばかりに and follow it with the action: 「帰って」と言わんばかりに扉を開けた. Before a noun, use と言わんばかりの, as in 言わんばかりの顔. 言わん is an old form meaning “about to say”; the whole phrase is a fixed expression.

Examples

• 彼女かのじょは、「納得なっとくできない」と言いわんばかりに腕うでを組くんだ。She folded her arms as if to say, “I will not agree.”
• 子こどもは、「これを見みて」と言いわんばかりに絵えを差さし出だした。The child held out the picture as if to say, “Look at this.”
• 犬いぬは、「遊あそぼう」と言いわんばかりに尻尾しっぽを振ふった。The dog wagged its tail as if to say, “Let’s play.”
• 彼かれは、「もう聞ききたくない」と言いわんばかりに顔かおをそむけた。He turned away as if to say, “I do not want to hear any more.”
• 彼女かのじょは「あなたの番ばんだ」と言いわんばかりの目めで私わたしを見みた。She gave me a look that seemed to say, “It is your turn.”
• その看板かんばんは、「立たち入いるな」と言いわんばかりに置おかれていた。The sign was positioned as if to say, “Keep out.”

Watch out

The quoted words need not have been spoken: the speaker infers them from the action. Do not use this to report an actual quotation as fact.

Try it yourself

1. 「帰かえって」と＿＿ばかりに、彼かれは扉とびらを開あけた。

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   言わん

   言わん — The fixed expression is と言わんばかりに, following the imagined words.

2. 「私わたしの勝かちだ」と言いわんばかり＿＿笑わらった。

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   に

   に — Use に to connect the expression to the verb 笑った.

3. 「早はやくして」と言いわんばかり＿＿顔かお

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   の

   の — Use の before the noun 顔.

Use it today

Describe a gesture that suggests an unspoken message, then describe a facial expression with the の form.