「〜ずじまい」- Ended Up Not Being Able To...
Explanation
「〜ずじまい」 is a Japanese grammatical structure used to express "ended up not being able to..." or "ultimately failed to...". It is often used to describe situations where someone intended to do something but, due to certain reasons, was unable to accomplish it. This structure carries a tone of regret or resignation.
Grammar Pattern
| Grammar Point | Connection | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Verb Negative Stem + ずじまい | Verb Negative Stem + ずじまい | Indicates that the action was ultimately not completed, with a tone of regret. |
Basic Usage
Connection
- Verb Negative Stem + ずじまい
Meaning
- Expresses that someone intended to do something but ultimately failed to do so, with a tone of regret or resignation.
Examples
結局 、彼 に本当 の気持 ちを言 えずじまいだった。- Kekkyoku, kare ni hontou no kimochi o iezu jimai datta.
- In the end, I couldn't express my true feelings to him.
旅行 の計画 を立 てたが、行 けずじまいだった。- Ryokou no keikaku o tateta ga, ikezu jimai datta.
- I made travel plans, but I ended up not being able to go.
彼女 に謝 ろうと思ったが、謝 れずじまいだった。- Kanojo ni ayamarou to omotta ga, ayamarezu jimai datta.
- I wanted to apologize to her, but I ended up not being able to.
仕事 が忙 しくて、友達 と会 う約束 を果 たせずじまいだった。- Shigoto ga isogashikute, tomodachi to au yakusoku o hatasezu jimai datta.
- I was too busy with work and ended up not being able to keep my promise to meet my friend.
Comparison and Differences
「〜ずじまい」 and 「〜なかった」 both mean "didn't do..." or "wasn't able to...", but they differ in tone and usage.
| Grammar Point | Tone | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ずじまい | Carries a tone of regret or resignation | Used to describe situations where someone intended to do something but failed |
| 〜なかった | Neutral tone | Simply states that something wasn't done, without emotional nuance |
Example:
彼 に会 い行 けずじまいだった。- Kare ni ai ikezu jimai datta.
- I ended up not being able to go see him. (With a tone of regret)
彼 に会 い行 かなかった。- Kare ni ai ikanakatta.
- I didn't go see him. (Neutral tone)
Deep Dive
「〜ずじまい」 is typically used to describe situations where someone had a plan or intention but, due to certain circumstances, was unable to carry it out. It carries a tone of regret or resignation and is suitable for expressing personal emotions or narrating stories. Note that this structure is more commonly used in written language or formal contexts and is less frequent in casual conversation.
Summary
「〜ずじまい」 is a Japanese grammatical structure used to express "ended up not being able to..." with a tone of regret or resignation. It is suitable for describing situations where someone intended to do something but failed to accomplish it. This structure is often used in written language or formal contexts. Mastering this pattern will help you accurately convey feelings of regret or resignation in Japanese.