ぼうかん
Boukan
傍観 (Boukan) is a Japanese noun meaning “looking on, standing by and watching, sitting back and watching, remaining a spectator”.
Meanings
- noun, suru verb, transitive verblooking on; standing by and watching; sitting back and watching; remaining a spectator
Examples
世間はいつまでこれらの暴虐を傍観し続けるのか。
How long can the world stand by and watch these atrocities?
彼はただ傍観するだけでそのけんかを止めなかった。
He just looked on and didn't stop the quarrel.
出席者が少なくなりつづけ、実際にやってきた人も無関心に傍観していた。
Attendance had been falling off and such people as did come sat about indifferently.
Sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR).