何食わぬ顔

• Reading: なにくわぬかお
• Romaji: nanikuwanukao
• Kanji breakdown: 何 (nani) — what; 食 (ku) — to eat; 顔 (kao) — face
• Pronunciation: /na.ni.kɯ.wa.nɯ.ka.o/

Meaning

A feigned expression of innocence; a nonchalant face that conceals guilt or knowledge. Used when someone acts as if nothing has happened despite knowing otherwise.

A noun phrase literally meaning 'a face as if having eaten nothing suspicious.' Most often appears in the adverbial pattern 何食わぬ顔で (with a nonchalant air), indicating that a person acts perfectly innocent while concealing involvement or knowledge. Used in contexts of deception, mischief, or deliberate nonchalance.

Examples

1. 犯人は現場から立ち去り、何食わぬ顔で家族と夕食を取った。 The culprit left the scene and had dinner with his family as if nothing had happened.
2. 彼女は秘密を知っているくせに、何食わぬ顔で私に話しかけてきた。 Even though she knew the secret, she came up to me with a perfectly innocent expression.
3. 遅刻した社員は何食わぬ顔で席に着き、誰も気づかないふりをした。 The late employee sat down at his desk with a nonchalant face, and everyone pretended not to notice.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday speech, storytelling, crime narratives

Tone: ironic

Origin & History

From 何 (nani, what) + 食わぬ (negative of 食う, to eat) + 顔 (face). The image is of someone whose face betrays no sign of having 'eaten' (consumed/done) anything questionable.

Cultural Context

Era: Pre-modern–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal