play dumb

知らないふりをする、とぼける

面倒を避けるためなどに、知らない、または分からないふりをすること。

やさしい英語で： To pretend you do not know or understand something, often to avoid trouble.

• Do not play dumb with me.
• She played dumb when I asked about the broken window.
• He tried to play dumb, but we knew he had read the message.

使い方： play dumb about something (He played dumb about the missing money.)

類義語： feign ignorance, pretend not to know

よく使う表現： play dumb about something, play dumb again

口が利けないふりをする

口が利けないように装うこと。

やさしい英語で： To pretend that you cannot speak.

• He played dumb and used gestures.
• She decided to play dumb, pretending she had no voice.
• To hide his accent, he played dumb when the guards questioned him.

類義語： pretend to be unable to speak

よく使う表現： play dumb throughout, play dumb convincingly