connective N1 uncommon writtenliterary

ともなしに — without conscious intent

ともなしに
Builds on ともなく

Meaning

Key sentence

Something in the conversation I'd been half-hearing suddenly caught my attention.

Formation

Attaches toFormExample
Verb dictionary form (often repeated) V-る + ともなしに(+ 同じ V) 眺ながめるともなしに眺ながめる

Examples

I left the TV on without really watching it and sat lost in thought.
As I stood by the station without exactly waiting for anyone, I happened to run into a friend.

Easily confused with

ともなく Interchangeable twin meaning 'absent-mindedly.' ともなしに is the なしに variant and feels a shade more literary; ともなく is slightly more common and also covers the 'from nowhere in particular' use (どこからともなく), which ともなしに does not.

See ともなしに in real sentences

Jengo shows ともなしに the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.

Study it in Jengo

Sources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar.

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