“〜wo mono tomo sezu (ni)”: Undaunted By / Braving 〜 (admiring courage) [JLPT N1]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

Pressing forward bravely, ignoring adversity and obstacles — a term of praise

「困難をものともせず」 — not fazed by adversity, bravely overcoming it

The most stirring line in an award citation or biography is often 「〇〇をものともせず」 — 「重い障害をものともせず、彼は頂点に立った (undaunted by heavy obstacles, he reached the summit).」 「〜をものともせず（に）」 = not fazed by (hardship／danger／adversity), bravely facing and overcoming it. It's a pattern of strong, admiring praise, made to extol the indomitable. This guide also differentiates the same-batch, opposite-meaning 〈をよそに〉 (passively ignoring), cross-referencing it.

Core: not treating (hardship／danger) as anything, bravely overcoming it (praise)

「(noun) ＋ をものともせず（に）」 = not fazed by (hardship, danger, adversity), bravely facing and overcoming it:

• 困難をものともせず、挑戦を続けた (undaunted by hardship, kept up the challenge).
• 大けがをものともせず、最後まで走り抜いた (heedless of a serious injury, ran all the way to the end).
• 周囲の反対をものともせず、彼女は起業した (undeterred by those around her, she started a business).

Feel: 「ものともせず」 breaks down as 「もの (thing) ＋ とも ＋ せず (not treat as)」 = “not even treating it as anything, not fazed at all.” So 「Aをものともせず」 = “not fazed by A (that hardship／danger), bravely facing and overcoming it.” It carries strong admiration and praise, the subject usually an extolled brave soul, a hero, made to depict indomitable feats. It leans written, oratorical (reporting, biography, citations, inspirational speeches). In English: undaunted by ～, heedless of ～, in defiance of ～ (bravely overcoming). (The opposite-meaning 〈をよそに〉 is “passively ignoring, going one's own way,” with criticism — see below.)

Attachment rules

See it in context

• 猛吹雪をものともせず、救助隊は山へ向かった。(Undaunted by the blizzard, the rescue team headed into the mountains.)
• 度重なる失敗をものともせず、彼は研究を続けた。(Heedless of repeated failures, he kept up his research.)
• 世間の批判をものともせず、彼は信念を貫いた。(Undaunted by public criticism, he held to his conviction.)
• 身体のハンディをものともせず、彼女は金メダルを勝ち取った。(Heedless of a physical handicap, she won the gold medal.)
• 荒波をものともせず、小舟は前へ進んだ。(Undaunted by the raging waves, the small boat pressed forward.)

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① The subject is an ‘extolled brave soul,' carrying strong admiration — usually not used of oneself. 「をものともせず」 carries strong admiration and praise, the subject usually “an admirable brave soul, a hero who overcame major adversity” — it's a pattern for extolling someone else from outside: 彼は困難をものともせず (undaunted by hardship — praising him). Because it clearly praises, it's usually not used of oneself (「私は困難をものともせず頑張った」 sounds like self-praise, unnatural). Test: to extol “(someone) undaunted by adversity, bravely overcoming” → をものともせず (praising another); for your own effort → use 「〜を乗り越えて」「〜でも頑張った.」

② What precedes is a major obstacle like ‘hardship, danger, adversity,' not everyday trivia. What 「をものともせず」 attaches to must be “hardship, danger, adversity, a major obstacle” — a serious injury, a blizzard, repeated failures, strong opposition, a physical handicap. It presupposes “a major adversity worth admirably overcoming,” which is what gives it weight. For everyday trivia (a little tired, a bit of a hassle) 「をものともせず」 sounds overblown, unnatural. Test: facing “major hardship／danger” → をものともせず; ordinary trifles → 「〜を気にせず」 is fine.

③ Opposite in meaning to 「をよそに」 — 「をものともせず」 actively, bravely overcomes (praise), 「をよそに」 passively ignores (criticism). Both can loosely translate as “ignoring ～,” but their attitude and praise／blame are exactly opposite. 「をものともせず」 is the active, positive “undaunted by (hardship), bravely facing and overcoming it,” with praise, admiration: 反対をものともせず、やり遂げた (undaunted by opposition, saw it through — praising the bravery). 「をよそに」 is the passive, often critical “not heeding (others' feelings／opposition), going one's own way,” with disapproval: 親の心配をよそに、遊び歩く (heedless of parents' worry, gadding about — criticizing the coldness, see 〈をよそに〉). Difference: をものともせず = bravely overcoming an obstacle (praise); をよそに = ignoring, leaving unheeded (passive, often critical). Test: bravely facing and overcoming (praise) → をものともせず; not heeding, going one's own way (often criticism) → をよそに.

④ It's written, oratorical; little used in everyday speech. 「をものともせず」 belongs to a rather stiff written／oratorical register, common in news reports, biography, award citations, inspirational speeches, rousing and forceful. In everyday chat it sounds too literary, too grand — for “undaunted by hardship,” everyday uses 「困難を乗り越えて」「大変でも頑張った,」 more natural. Test: to say in writing, in extolling, in exhortation “undaunted by adversity, bravely overcoming” → をものともせず (grand); for everyday speech → 「〜を乗り越えて」「〜でも頑張った.」

🔄 Compare with similar forms: をものともせず／をよそに／にもかかわらず／も顧みず

💡 The one thing to remember

「〜をものともせず」 is a line of rousing, grand praise — made to extol the brave, the heroic who are “undaunted by major adversity, bravely overcoming it.” 「大けがをものともせず完走」「暴風をものともせず出航」 carry the fervor of a citation or biography in a single phrase. Three points: ① the subject is an ‘extolled brave soul,' carrying admiration — usually not of oneself (self-praise is unnatural); ② what precedes is major adversity like ‘hardship, danger' (not for trifles); ③ it's opposite in meaning to 「をよそに」 — をものともせず is bravely overcoming (praise), をよそに is passively ignoring (criticism) — don't reverse them. It leans written, oratorical; for everyday “undaunted by hardship,” 「〜を乗り越えて」 is more natural.

❓ Common questions

Q: 「をものともせず」 and 「をよそに」 both seem like “ignoring ～” — what's the difference?

Their attitude and praise／blame are exactly opposite — this is the key distinction. 「をものともせず」 = undaunted by ～, bravely facing and overcoming (active, praise): the subject actively, bravely faces that hardship／danger and overcomes it, with admiration, praise — 「困難をものともせず、成し遂げた」 = “undaunted by hardship, (bravely) accomplished it” (praising their courage and grit). It extols the brave, the heroic. 「をよそに」 = ignoring ～, heedless of ～, going one's own way (passive, often critical): the subject doesn't heed, doesn't mind (others' feelings, opposition, worry), going their own way, often with the speaker's disapproval, criticism — 「親の心配をよそに、彼は遊び歩いた」 = “heedless of his parents' worry, he gadded about” (criticizing his coldness, willfulness, see 〈をよそに〉). In one line: 「をものともせず」 is bravely overcoming an obstacle (praise); 「をよそに」 is passively ignoring, leaving unheeded (often criticism). Test: bravely facing and overcoming (praiseworthy) → をものともせず; not heeding, going one's own way (critical) → をよそに. So “undaunted by hardship, accomplished it” (praise) uses をものともせず, “heedless of the worry, went his own way” (criticism) uses をよそに — opposite in praise／blame, don't misuse.

Q: Can 「をものともせず」 be used of oneself?

Usually not — it's unnatural. 「をものともせず」 carries strong admiration and praise, a pattern for extolling someone else as “undaunted by adversity, bravely overcoming,” the subject usually “an admirable brave soul, a hero.” Used of oneself — 「私は困難をものともせず頑張りました」 — it becomes “I, undaunted by hardship, (bravely) worked hard,” i.e. praising your own bravery, which sounds like self-congratulation, tooting your own horn, quite unnatural. To say you overcame hardship, Japanese uses more objective, humble phrasings: 「困難を乗り越えて、なんとかやり遂げました」 (overcoming the hardship, I somehow saw it through), 「大変でしたが、頑張りました」 (it was tough, but I worked hard). Test: to extol someone else as undaunted by adversity → をものともせず (praising another); to say you overcame hardship → 「〜を乗り越えて」「〜でも頑張った」 (objective, humble). So 「をものともせず」 is best kept for praising others.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「彼は大けが___、最後まで走り抜いた。」(undaunted by the serious injury)

(A) をものともせず　(B) をめぐって　(C) において　(D) にとって

Q2. 「をものともせず」の語感は?

(A) Undaunted/undeterred (facing it bravely; admiring)

(B) Afraid and shrinking back

(C) Neutral contrast/concession

(D) Expresses gratitude

Q3. 「困難をものともせず」の意味は?

(A) Undaunted by hardship (facing it bravely)

(B) Defeated by hardship

(C) No hardship

(D) Creating hardship

Q4. 「をものともせず」の主語は普通?

(A) An admired person (a brave one)

(B) A villain

(C) An inanimate object

(D) No subject

Q5. 接法が正しいのは?

(A) 嵐をものともせず出航した。　(B) 嵐がものともせず。

(C) 嵐をものともせずのに。　(D) 嵐だものともせず。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) をものともせず ── Undaunted by the serious injury.

2. (A) ── Undaunted/undeterred (admiring).

3. (A) ── Undaunted by hardship.

4. (A) ── The subject is usually an admired, brave person.

5. (A) ── 「嵐をものともせず出航」 is correct.