What does ～べくもない mean? Japanese grammar N1

Forming it

How to use it

A STRONG negation: impossible by nature/reason. Only used with a small set of specific verbs.

• 「～べくもない」 = "there is no way to...", impossible by nature. A strong negation, used in writing.
• The verbs that can be used are very LIMITED: 知る (know), 望む (hope/wish), 比べる (compare), 疑う (doubt).
• Different from 「～ようがない」 (no way to do something, due to lacking means): 「べくもない」 emphasizes impossibility in NATURE/essence.

Examples

• 当時(とうじ)の私(わたし)には、こんな結果(けっか)になるとは知(し)るべくもなかった。

  At the time, I had no way of knowing it would turn out like this.

• 両者(りょうしゃ)の実力(じつりょく)は比(くら)べるべくもない。

  The two are simply not comparable in ability.

Keep in mind

• Only usable with a few verbs.
• Emphasizes an inherent impossibility.

Common mistakes

• Wrong走(はし)るべくもない。

  There's no way to run.

  Correct走(はし)りようがない。

  「べくもない」 is only used with a few verbs (知る, 望む, 比べる); other cases use 「ようがない」.

• Wrong知(し)るべくもないだろう。

  There's no way to know.

  Correct知(し)るべくもなかった。

  This pattern is a DEFINITE assertion of impossibility, and is rarely combined with the conjecture marker 「だろう」.

Exam tips

• 「べくもない」 = impossible by nature; only a few verbs: 知る, 望む, 比べる.

Related patterns

• ～ようがない
• ～はずがない
• ～べからず