鳴かず飛ばず（なかずとばず）
JLPT N1 · noun
Pitch accent: heiban (flat) — starts low, then stays high with no drop
Meaning: making no progress/obscure
Example sentences
- 長い間、鳴かず飛ばずだった。 — For a long time he languished in obscurity, making no mark.
- 鳴かず飛ばずの時期を乗りこえる。 — To get through a period of obscurity and stagnation.
Related words
See it used in real works
- Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
- Hear “鳴かず飛ばず” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)