Written & Classical Forms — （よ）うにも〜ない/べからず/ごとき/ずとも/んばかり/をもって
This lesson covers written expressions with a classical (old Japanese) flavour. 「（よ）うにも〜ない」 means "can't do it even if one tries"; 「べからず」 and 「べからざる」, the negatives of 「べき」, appear on notices, in proverbs and in set phrases like "indispensable" or "unforgivable"; 「ごとき」 and 「ごとく」 correspond to 「ような」 and 「ように」; 「ずとも」 corresponds to 「なくても」; 「んばかり」, the nai-stem + 「ん」 + 「ばかり」, means "almost…"; and 「をもって」 marks a means, a basis, or "as of" a date. In modern Japanese these forms turn up in news, official notices, speeches, sayings and fiction. N1 likes to test how they attach — the classical conjugations are where mistakes happen.
Vocabulary
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 立て札 | たてふだ | n a notice board; a sign on a postset up by a road or entrance with a warning or rule立て札を立てる to put up a sign立ち入り禁止の立て札 a No Entry sign |
| 初心 | しょしん | n one's original intention; the attitude one started withalso "beginner", as in 初心者初心に返る to go back to one's original resolve初心を貫く to stay true to one's original aim |
| 欠く | かく | v, trans. to lack; to be withoutwritten; more formal than 欠ける欠くことのできない indispensable常識を欠く to lack common sense |
| 侵す | おかす | v, trans. to violate; to infringeof rights, territory, privacy; homophone of 犯す (to commit a crime) and 冒す (to brave a risk)権利を侵す to infringe on rightsプライバシーを侵す to invade privacy |
| 息を引き取る | いきをひきとる | idiom to breathe one's last; to pass awaya gentle euphemism for 死ぬ静かに息を引き取る to pass away peacefully病院で息を引き取る to die in hospital |
| 前述 | ぜんじゅつ | n the aforementioned; what was said aboveused in papers and reports; opposite: 後述前述のとおり as stated above前述の理由により for the reasons given above |
| 平然と | へいぜんと | adv calmly; coolly, as if nothing were wrongoften critical, where one would expect embarrassment平然と嘘をつく to lie without batting an eye平然とした態度 an unruffled manner |
| 人材 | じんざい | n capable people; human resourcespeople useful to an organisation, not necessarily exceptional人材不足 a shortage of staff人材を育てる to develop talent |
| 痛手 | いたで | n a heavy blow; serious damagephysical, financial or emotional大きな痛手を受ける to suffer a major setback経済的な痛手 a financial blow |
| 口を挟む | くちをはさむ | idiom to butt in; to put in a wordcutting into someone else's conversation横から口を挟む to chip in from the side口を挟む余地がない there's no room to get a word in |
| 承知 | しょうち | n, suru-verb knowing; agreeinga formal 知る or 分かる承知しました certainly / understood (polite)百も承知 to know full well |
| にらみつける | にらみつける | v, trans. to glare atstaring at someone in anger相手をにらみつける to glare at someoneすごい顔でにらみつける to give someone a fierce look |
| 注ぐ | そそぐ | v, trans. to pour; to devoteof liquid into a container, or of effort into somethingグラスにワインを注ぐ to pour wine into a glass力を注ぐ to put one's energy into |
| 書面 | しょめん | n writing; a written documentopposite of 口頭 (spoken)書面で通知する to notify in writing書面にて回答する to reply in writing |
| 完治 | かんち | n, suru-verb complete recovery; a full cureof an illness or injury完治するまで until it has fully healed完治は難しい hard to cure completely |
| 身近 | みぢか | n, na-adj close to one; familiarnear at hand, or closely connected to one's life身近な問題 an issue close to home身近にいる人 the people around you |
1. 〜（よ）うにも〜ない ~(yo) uni mo ~nai (Can't… even if one wants to)
Conjugation
- Verb volitional form + にも + the same verb, potential negative (行こうにも行けない)
- Verb volitional form + にも + the reason it can't be done (連絡しようにも、電話番号がわからない)
※ Volitional forms: 行く→行こう, 食べる→食べよう, する→しよう, 来る→来（こ）よう.
Meaning
"Can't… even if one wants to" or "however much one might try to…". The subject wants to do A but can't, for reasons beyond their control. The main clause is either the "can't" itself or the reason it can't be done.
Restrictions:
- The verb must be volitional: ❌ 「雨がやもうにもやまない」 (「やむ」 isn't something anyone does on purpose).
- The main clause is an outside "can't", not a personal "don't want to": ❌ 「行こうにも行きたくない」.
- It doesn't take the 「たい」 form: ❌ 「行きたいにも行けない」 → ⭕ 「行こうにも行けない」.
- Describes a present or past predicament; no command or request in the main clause.
Example Sentences
- 財布を家に忘れてきたので、昼ご飯を買おうにも買えない。(I left my wallet at home, so I couldn't buy lunch even if I wanted to.)
- 足をけがしていて、逃げようにも逃げられなかった。(My leg was injured, so I couldn't run away however much I tried.)
- 謝ろうにも、彼の連絡先がわからない。(I'd like to apologise, but I don't know how to contact him.)
- 大雪で電車が止まり、帰ろうにも帰れない人々が駅にあふれた。(Heavy snow stopped the trains, and the stations filled with people who couldn't get home.)
- 誰かに相談しようにも、身近に頼れる人がいない。(I'd like to talk it over with someone, but there's nobody close to me I can turn to.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| （よ）うにも〜ない | can't even if one wants to | written; stresses "the will is there, circumstances aren't" |
| ようがない | there's no way to… | masu-stem + ようがない; there is simply no method (N3 Lesson 44) |
| たくても〜ない | can't even though one wants to | the spoken equivalent |
| ようとしても | even if one tries to… | the main clause needn't be negative; broader than 「うにも」 |
「連絡しようにも連絡先がわからない」= I'd contact them, but I don't have their details (written)
「連絡先がわからないので、連絡しようがない」= there's no way to contact them
「連絡したくてもできない」= spoken
N1 tests the form: volitional + にも, usually followed by the same verb in the potential negative.
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
2. 〜べからず／〜べからざる ~bekarazu / ~bekara zaru (Must not… / Not to be…)
Conjugation
- Verb dictionary form + べからず (ends the sentence)
- Verb dictionary form + べからざる + noun
- する → すべからず / するべからず, すべからざる / するべからざる
※ These are the negatives of the classical auxiliary 「べし」 (whose attributive form is the familiar 「べき」). 「べからず」 ends a sentence and 「べからざる」 modifies a noun; they aren't interchangeable: ❌ 「入るべからず場所」 → ⭕ 「入るべからざる場所」.
Meaning
- べからず: "must not…" or "… prohibited". On notices, in rules and sayings; stiff and authoritative.
- べからざる: "not to be…" or "that must not be…". Almost always in set phrases: 「欠くべからざる」 (indispensable), 「許すべからざる」 (unforgivable), 「侵すべからざる」 (inviolable).
Restrictions:
- 「べからず」 belongs on signs, in slogans and sayings; it isn't used when speaking to someone in front of you: △ (to a colleague) 「会議に遅れるべからず」 → ⭕ 「会議に遅れないでください」 (said aloud, 「べからず」 can only be a mock-old-fashioned joke).
- 「べからざる」 only modifies nouns, and practically only in the set phrases above.
- Don't confuse it with 「すべからく」: 「すべからく〜べし」 means "ought by rights to…", not "all".
Example Sentences
- 公園の入り口に「芝生に入るべからず」という立て札が立っている。(At the park entrance there is a sign saying "Keep off the grass.")
- 「初心忘るべからず」とは、世阿弥の残した言葉である。("Never forget the spirit in which you began" is a saying left to us by Zeami.)
- 「働かざる者食うべからず」と、祖父はよく言っていた。(My grandfather often used to say, "He who does not work, neither shall he eat.")
- 水は人間が生きていくうえで欠くべからざるものだ。(Water is indispensable to human life.)
- 表現の自由は、民主主義社会において侵すべからざる権利である。(Freedom of expression is an inviolable right in a democratic society.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| べからず | must not… | classical; notices, sayings; ends the sentence |
| べからざる | not to be… | classical; modifies a noun; set phrases |
| べきではない | should not… | modern, written or spoken; "it isn't right to" (N3 Lesson 56) |
| てはならない | must not… | modern written; rules and admonitions |
「芝生に入るべからず」= a prohibition on a sign
「人の悪口を言うべきではない」= one shouldn't, as a matter of principle (modern)
In example 2, 「忘る」 is the classical dictionary form of 「忘れる」, kept in the saying; in example 3, 「働かざる」 is the classical attributive of 「働かない」.
N1 tests the difference in how 「べからず」 and 「べからざる」 attach, and set phrases such as 「欠くべからざる」.
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
3. 〜ごとき／〜ごとく ~gotoki / ~gotoku (Like… / As…)
Conjugation
- Noun + の + ごとき + noun / ごとく + verb
- Verb dictionary or ta-form + (が) ごとき / (が) ごとく (「眠るがごとく」, 「前に述べたごとく」)
- 〜かのごとく (= かのように)
- Noun + ごとき (no 「の」, with a dismissive or humble tone)
- Sentence-final: 〜ごとし (「光陰矢のごとし」)
※ They map onto modern forms: ごとし = ようだ, ごとき = ような, ごとく = ように.
Meaning
- Comparison or example: "like…" or "as…", the same as 「ような／ように」 but more literary.
- Noun + ごとき: without 「の」 it means "the likes of…". About others it is dismissive (「お前ごときに負けるものか」 as if I'd lose to the likes of you); about yourself it is humble (「私ごとき」).
Restrictions:
- Written, with a classical flavour; in speech it is mostly limited to 「私ごとき」 and set phrases.
- 「Nのごとき」 is neutral, 「Nごとき」 is dismissive, so it can't be used of someone you respect: ❌ 「先生ごとき立派な方」 → ⭕ 「先生のごとき立派な方」 (more natural still: 「先生のような」).
- 「ごとき」 modifies nouns, 「ごとく」 modifies verbs or a clause, 「ごとし」 ends a sentence; they don't swap.
Example Sentences
- 祖母は眠るがごとく、静かに息を引き取った。(My grandmother passed away peacefully, as if falling asleep.)
- 前述のごとく、本計画には三つの課題が残されている。(As stated above, three issues remain with this plan.)
- 彼は何事もなかったかのごとく、平然と会議に姿を見せた。(He turned up at the meeting perfectly calm, as though nothing had happened.)
- 彼のごとき優秀な人材を失ったのは、会社にとって大きな痛手だ。(Losing someone as able as him is a heavy blow for the company.)
- 私ごときが口を挟むことではありませんが、一言だけ申し上げます。(It isn't really my place to say so, but if I may add just one thing.)
Comparison
| Classical | Modern | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ごとし | 〜ようだ | sentence-final (N5 Lesson 14) |
| 〜ごとき + noun | 〜ような + noun | modifies a noun (N4 Lesson 32) |
| 〜ごとく | 〜ように | modifies a verb or clause |
| 〜かのごとく | 〜かのように | as if…, contrary to fact (N3 Lesson 52) |
「彼のごとき人材」= someone as capable as him (neutral)
「彼ごときに負けるものか」= as if I'd lose to the likes of him (dismissive)
N1 tests the dismissive / humble 「Nごとき」, and the 「が」 that often follows a verb, as in 「眠るがごとく」 and 「見るがごとく」.
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
4. 〜ずとも ~zu tomo (Even without… / Need not…)
Conjugation
- Verb nai-stem + ずとも (行かない→行かずとも)
- する → せずとも
- 〜ずともよい (= なくてもいい)
※ Set phrase: 「言わずと知れた」 (needless to say; well known to all). i-adjectives have a matching 「〜くとも」, as in 「遅くとも」 (at the latest) and 「少なくとも」 (at least).
Meaning
"Even without…" or "need not…". It means the same as 「なくても」, of which it is the written, classical version.
Restrictions:
- Written and slightly old-fashioned; in speech, use 「なくても」.
- 「する」 becomes 「せずとも」: ❌ 「しずとも」.
- Mostly for general truths or hypotheticals ("one can… without", "one needn't…"), not usually for a specific past event: △ 「昨日は傘を持たずとも濡れなかった」 → ⭕ 「昨日は傘を持たなかったが、濡れなかった」.
Example Sentences
- 言わずとも、彼の気持ちは顔を見ればわかる。(He doesn't need to say it — you can tell how he feels from his face.)
- わざわざ会場まで行かずとも、試合の結果はネットで確認できる。(You don't have to go all the way to the venue; you can check the result of the match online.)
- そんなに急がずとも、まだ時間は十分ある。(There's no need to hurry like that — we still have plenty of time.)
- 細かい事情は説明せずとも、皆すでに承知しているはずだ。(There's no need to explain the details; everyone should already be aware of them.)
- この件については、君が心配せずともよい。(You needn't worry about this matter.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| ずとも | even without… | written, classical |
| なくても | even without… | modern, general (N4 Lesson 30 「ても」, N5 Lesson 6 「なくてもいい」) |
| ずに | without (doing)… | doing something in a negative state, not a concession (N3 Lesson 49) |
「説明せずとも分かる」= 「説明しなくても分かる」 (you understand without being told)
「説明せずに帰った」= 「説明しないで帰った」 (went home without explaining)
「ずとも」, 「ずに」 and 「ずして」 all attach the same way (nai-stem + ず); on the test, check whether what follows is a concession or a manner.
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
5. 〜んばかり（だ／に／の） ~n bakari ( da / ni / no ) (Almost… / As if about to…)
Conjugation
- Verb nai-stem + んばかりだ / んばかりに / んばかりの + noun (泣かない→泣かんばかり)
- する → せんばかり (「土下座せんばかりに謝る」)
- 〜と言わんばかりに (as if to say…)
※ 「ん」 comes from the classical conjectural/volitional auxiliary 「む」 (the same 「ん」 as in 「んがため」, Lesson 82) — it is not a negative; the whole form means "on the verge of…". It attaches to the same stem as 「ない」, which is why it is easy to mistake for one.
Meaning
"Almost…" or "as if about to…". It hasn't actually reached that point, but it's close — an exaggerated description of an action, expression, sound or amount. Common pairings: 「割れんばかりの拍手」, 「あふれんばかりの」, 「飛び上がらんばかりに喜ぶ」, 「泣かんばかりに」.
Restrictions:
- Describes how something looks now (or looked then), not a prediction: ❌ 「明日は雨が降らんばかりだ」 → ⭕ 「明日は雨が降りそうだ」.
- It means "close to, but not quite"; if it actually happened, it doesn't fit: △ 「彼は泣かんばかりに涙を流した」 (he was already in tears — say 「泣きながら」).
- Written style, common in fiction and reporting.
Example Sentences
- 合格の知らせを聞いた弟は、飛び上がらんばかりに喜んだ。(When my brother heard he had passed, he nearly jumped for joy.)
- 優勝が決まった瞬間、会場は割れんばかりの拍手に包まれた。(The moment the championship was decided, the hall was filled with thunderous applause.)
- 彼女は今にも泣き出さんばかりの顔で、事情を説明し始めた。(Looking as if she might burst into tears at any moment, she began to explain what had happened.)
- 上司は「お前のせいだ」と言わんばかりに、私をにらみつけた。(My boss glared at me as if to say, "This is your fault.")
- グラスにはあふれんばかりにワインが注がれていた。(The glass had been filled with wine almost to overflowing.)
Comparison
| Expression | Attaches to | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| んばかり | nai-stem + んばかり | almost to the point of…; exaggerated description |
| とばかりに (Lesson 89) | sentence + とばかりに | one's manner as good as says certain words |
| そうだ (appearance) | masu-stem + そうだ | looks as if it will…; can also predict (N5 Lesson 13) |
| かのように | plain form + かのように | as if…, a comparison contrary to fact (N3 Lesson 52) |
「泣かんばかりの顔」= a face on the verge of tears (exaggerated, written)
「泣きそうな顔」= looking like one's about to cry (neutral, spoken)
「出ていけと言わんばかりに」= 「出ていけとばかりに」; both are common
N1 tests the form: nai-stem + ん, with 「する」 becoming 「せん」; ❌ 「泣くんばかり」, 「しんばかり」.
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
6. 〜をもって ~wo motte (By means of… / As of… / With…)
Conjugation
- Noun + をもって
- Noun + をもちまして (more formal; speeches and announcements)
- Noun + をもってすれば / をもってしても
※ Written 「以て」 in kanji. The closing line 「これをもちまして、本日の会を終了いたします」 is a set phrase.
Meaning
- Means, method, basis: "by…" or "with…": 「書面をもって通知する」, 「身をもって知る」 (to learn first-hand).
- A point in time: "as of…" or "with effect from…": 「本日をもって閉店する」.
- をもってすれば: "with… (one could)", followed by something achievable.
- をもってしても: "even with… (one can't)", followed by something impossible or hard.
Restrictions:
- For formal occasions, notices and speeches; for everyday means or transport use 「で」: ❌ 「電車をもって通勤している」 → ⭕ 「電車で通勤している」.
- With time it mostly marks an end or deadline (closing, finishing, retiring, cut-off).
- 「をもってすれば」 is followed by a positive "can", 「をもってしても」 by a negative or "hard"; they don't swap.
Example Sentences
- 当店は、本年三月末日をもって閉店いたします。(This shop will close at the end of March this year.)
- 選考の結果は、後日書面をもってお知らせいたします。(You will be notified of the selection results in writing at a later date.)
- 戦争の悲惨さを、祖父は身をもって体験した。(My grandfather experienced the horrors of war first-hand.)
- 彼の実力をもってすれば、優勝も夢ではない。(With his ability, winning the championship is no mere dream.)
- 最新の医療技術をもってしても、この病気を完治させるのは難しい。(Even with the latest medical technology, it is hard to cure this disease completely.)
Comparison
| Expression | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| をもって | by…; as of… | formal; notices, speeches; also marks a point in time |
| によって | by…; due to… | general written; means, cause, agent of a passive (N3 Lesson 35) |
| で | with…; at… | everyday; the most general |
| を通じて | through… (a channel) | via a person or medium (N3 Lesson 35) |
「書面をもって通知する」= formal notice wording; 「書面で通知する」 is the ordinary version
「本日をもって閉店」 can't be rephrased with 「によって」 or 「を通じて」: the time-limit use belongs to 「をもって」 alone
「をもってしても」 isn't 「にしても」: it means "even with (some powerful means), it can't be done", and the main clause is almost always negative.
✍ Practice this point (3 questions)
Practice
Part 1: Choose the appropriate grammar (（よ）うにも / べからず / べからざる / ごとき / ごとく / ずとも / んばかり / をもって)
- 道路が雪でふさがれ、助けを呼ぼ（ ）電話もつながらない。
- 社会人にとって、時間を守ることは欠く（ ）条件だ。
- 工事現場の入り口には「関係者以外立ち入る（ ）」と書かれている。
- 彼は自分が社長であるかの（ ）、偉そうに振る舞っている。
- 君がわざわざ来（ ）、こちらで何とかするから大丈夫だ。
- 選手たちは、あふれ（ ）の笑顔で優勝トロフィーを掲げた。
- 以上（ ）、本日の説明会を終了いたします。
- 私（ ）の意見がお役に立つかどうかわかりませんが、申し上げます。
Part 2: Translate into Japanese
- I've lost my key, so I can't get into the house even if I want to. (Use （よ）うにも〜ない)
- At the museum it says "Do not touch the exhibits." (Use べからず)
- As stated above, this problem isn't that simple. (Use ごとく)
- He understands without being told. (Use ずとも)
- She looked at me as if she were about to cry. (Use んばかり)
- Even with his skills, he couldn't fix this machine. (Use をもってしても)
Answers
- うにも (呼ぼうにも)
- べからざる (a noun, 「条件」, follows, so 「べからず」 won't do)
- べからず (a sign; sentence-final)
- ごとく (「かのごとく」 = 「かのように」, modifying the verb 「振る舞っている」)
- ずとも (「来ずとも」 = 「来なくても」; the nai-stem of 「来る」 is 「来（こ）」)
- んばかり (「あふれんばかりの笑顔」 is a set pairing)
- をもって (the more formal 「をもちまして」 is also correct)
- ごとき (humble, used about oneself)
- 鍵をなくしてしまい、家に入ろうにも入れない。
- 博物館には「展示品に手を触れるべからず」と書かれている。
- 前述のごとく、この問題はそれほど単純ではない。(「先に述べたごとく」 also works)
- 言わずとも、彼はわかっている。
- 彼女は泣かんばかりの顔で私を見つめた。(「泣き出さんばかりの」 also works)
- 彼の技術をもってしても、この機械は直せなかった。
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