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    Dictionary
    1. Dictionary
    2. Grammar
    3. 〜ずして

    〜ずして

    〜ずして

    This means 'without doing something.' It shows something happened even though an action was not done.

    N1KMT10FormalStandardAdverbial ConstructionWritten OnlyClassicalWithout Recourse To FormalGrammar

    Verb [ない-form, drop い] + ずしてPrimary

    This means 'without doing something.' It shows something happened even though an action was not done.

    努ど力りょくせずして成せい功こうはあり得えない。

    Success is impossible without effort.

    FormalNon PastNegativeMid SentenceDeclarativeCore ConceptsWork & Career
    彼かれは誰だれにも相そう談だんせずして、会かい社しゃを辞やめるという重じゅう大だいな決けつ断だんを下くだした。

    He made the momentous decision to quit the company without consulting anyone.

    FormalPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeWork & Career
    多おおくの研けん究きゅう者しゃが協きょう力りょくせずして、この技ぎ術じゅつは実 現 しませんでした。

    This technology would not have been realized without the cooperation of many researchers.

    PolitePastNegativeMid SentenceDeclarativeScience & MathTechnology
    人ひとは他た者しゃと関かかわらずして生いきることはできない、と哲てつ学がく者しゃは説といた。

    A person cannot live without interacting with others, the philosopher preached.

    FormalPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeReligion & PhilosophyLiterature
    彼かれは一いち度ども振ふり返かえらずして、ゴールまで走はしり抜ぬけた。

    He ran through to the goal without once looking back.

    FormalPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeSports & Martial Arts

    This phrase shows surprise. It means something happened, even though another thing did not. Or, something could not happen, because another thing did not. It highlights a strong connection between two ideas.

    Other phrases like "~zu ni" and "~nai de" also mean "without doing." But "~zu shite" is much more formal. It is like old-fashioned language. You do not use it when you talk every day. "~zu shite" must follow a verb. "~nashi ni" can follow a noun. "~zu shite" often shows a surprising cause. This is different from "~koto nashi ni."

    Don't use this when you are talking with friends. It is too formal for daily chats. The verb 'suru' changes to 'sezushite'. This is a special rule to remember.

    Use this when you want to make your words sound very strong. It adds importance to what you say. It makes your message more powerful.

    More formal alternatives(1)

    〜ず

    This means 'without doing something'. It also means 'instead of doing something'. You use it to join two parts of a sentence.

    ない形

    This is how you make a verb negative. It means "do not" or "will not." It is the casual way to say 〜ません.

    〜ず

    This means 'without doing something'. It also means 'instead of doing something'. You use it to join two parts of a sentence.

    〜ずに

    This means you do one thing but do not do another thing. It is like saying 'without doing something else'.

    〜ないで

    This means you do something without doing another thing. It is like saying 'without doing X' or 'instead of doing X'.

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    Related concepts for this entry

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    • 〜ず

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