べくもない

Japanese Grammar Advanced Japanese ★★ 2/5 formal べくもないbekumonai
Reading べくもない
Romaji bekumonai
Formation Verb dictionary form + べくもない

Meaning

A phrase meaning 'there is no way to,' 'it is impossible to,' or 'one cannot possibly,' used to express that something is utterly beyond possibility. It conveys a strong sense of impossibility.

べくもない is a literary expression combining べく (continuative of べし) with も (even) and ない (not), literally meaning 'there is not even the possibility of doing.' It expresses absolute impossibility, often with a tone of resignation or humility. Common collocations include 知るべくもない (there is no way to know), 比べるべくもない (there is no comparison), and 想像すべくもない (one cannot even imagine). It is more emphatic and literary than はずがない or わけがない. It appears in formal writing, literature, and reflective or philosophical discourse.

Examples

  1. 当時の彼の心境は、私には知るべくもなかった。 There was no way for me to know his state of mind at that time.
  2. プロの技術は、素人の私と比べるべくもない。 A professional's skill is beyond any comparison with an amateur like me.
  3. 戦時中の苦労は、現代の若者には想像すべくもないだろう。 The hardships during wartime are probably beyond the imagination of today's young people.

Usage Guide

Context: written, literary, academic

Tone: resigned

Do Say

  • 彼がどんな思いでその決断をしたか、察するべくもない。
  • この絵画の本当の価値は、素人には計り知るべくもない。
  • 数十年前の暮らしぶりは、今の便利な生活からは想像すべくもない。

Don't Say

  • 明日の天気は知るべくもない。(Using べくもない for something easily verifiable — the weather forecast is available) → 明日の天気はまだわからない。
  • 彼の名前は知るべくもない。(Using べくもない when the information is readily obtainable) → 彼の名前は知らない。

Origin & History

べくもない combines the classical auxiliary べし in its continuative form べく with the emphatic particle も and the negative ない. This construction dates back to classical Japanese and expresses emphatic impossibility — literally 'not even possible to do.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Related Phrases

どうか An adverb meaning 'please' or 'I beg you,' used to add earnestness and sincerity to a request. It intensifies the politeness and emotional weight of what follows. ひとつ An adverb meaning 'why don't I/we' or 'let me try,' used when the speaker expresses their intention to give something a try, or when making a gentle request or suggestion. It adds a casual, tentative nuance. べく A conjunctive form of the auxiliary べし meaning 'in order to' or 'with the aim of,' used to express purpose or intent. It connects a purpose clause to the main action being taken. ものか (1) A rhetorical question marker expressing strong negative intention or disagreement. It emphatically conveys 'as if I would ever' or 'there's no way,' indicating the speaker's firm refusal or denial. ものか (2) A phrase used when the speaker is wondering what to do, or expressing a desire to do something. It conveys 'I wonder what would be good' or 'I wish I could,' often with an introspective or wishful tone. ものではない A sentence-final phrase meaning 'one should not' or 'it is not something one does,' used to express a general moral or social admonition. It conveys that an action is inappropriate as a matter of principle. 恐れがある A phrase meaning 'there is a fear that,' 'there is a risk that,' or 'it is feared that,' used to warn about a potential negative outcome. It indicates the possibility of an undesirable event occurring. ともすると An adverb meaning 'apt to,' 'liable to,' or 'before you know it,' used to express that something undesirable is likely to happen if one is not careful. It warns of a tendency that could easily occur.
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