Meaning & usage
The suffix ぬ expresses negation like ない, but with a literary or formal tone often seen in writing and set phrases. It attaches to the mizenkei, the stem that appears before ない, giving forms like 思わぬ, 知らぬ, and ならぬ, with the irregular verb する taking the special form せぬ. It is common before nouns, as in 見知らぬ人 or 予期せぬ困難, and learners should remember it still means not despite its classical flavor.
Example sentences 7
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予期せぬ困難が起こった。
Some unexpected difficulties have arisen.
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その晩は見知らぬ人と相部屋になった。
I doubled up with a stranger that night.
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彼は浮かぬ顔をしている。
He looks gloomy.
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彼女は見知らぬ人と話を始めた。
She started talking with a stranger.
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私は見知らぬ人がその家に入るのを見た。
I saw a stranger enter that house.
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彼はクラスのどの少年にも負けぬくらい腕白だった。
He was as mischievous as any boy in the class.
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犬は見知らぬ人にほえるものだ。
A dog will bark at strangers.
