This literary expression presents a strong feeling as impossible to suppress.
The idea
Put an emotion noun before を禁じ得ない, pronounced をきんじえない: 怒りを禁じ得ない. A cause can be marked with に. The past is を禁じ得なかった.
| Emotion | Expression |
|---|---|
| 怒り | 怒りを禁じ得ない |
| 感謝の念 | 感謝の念を禁じ得ない |
| 驚き | 驚きを禁じ得なかった |
Examples
- あの決定に怒りを禁じ得ない。I cannot suppress my anger at that decision.
- その知らせに悲しみを禁じ得ない。I cannot help feeling sad at the news.
- その結果に驚きを禁じ得ない。I cannot hide my surprise at the result.
- 彼女の親切に感謝の念を禁じ得ない。I cannot help feeling grateful for her kindness.
- 町の将来に不安を禁じ得ない。I cannot help feeling anxious about the future of the town.
- その演技を見て、感動を禁じ得なかった。I could not suppress my excitement at seeing the performance.
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Watch out
This is a formal, written expression, not a general prohibition. Use it with emotions such as surprise or gratitude, not an ordinary action.
Try it yourself
怒り＿禁じ得ない。
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を
を — The emotion noun is the object marked by を.
悲しみを禁じ＿＿。
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得ない
得ない — 禁じ得ない means unable to suppress; 得 is read え.
驚きを禁じ得ない → 過去：驚きを禁じ＿＿。
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得なかった
得なかった — The negative ending changes to なかった for the past.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
怒り＿禁じ得ない。
悲しみを禁じ＿＿。
驚きを禁じ得ない → 過去：驚きを禁じ＿＿。
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Describe a reaction to a piece of news using an emotion noun and this pattern.