Structure
Verb[ない]+ ず + じまい
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About ずじまい
ずじまい is a grammar structure that combines the literary form of the classical auxiliary verb ぬ, ず 'not', and the voiced conjunctive form of the う-Verb しまう 'to finish', or 'to bring to a close', じまい. Like しまう, ずじまい will often indicate regret at something ending up a certain way. However, this regret is about '(A) not happening', due to the negation provided by ず.
This structure will be used following the indeterminate form of verbs. Common translations include 'to end up not (A)', and 'to not have done (A) in the end'.
This structure will be used following the indeterminate form of verbs. Common translations include 'to end up not (A)', and 'to not have done (A) in the end'.
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マウンテンバイクを買ったが、使わずじまいで売ってしまった。I bought a mountain bike, but I ended up selling it without using it.
- コンサートのチケットを買ったが、色々とやることがあって行かずじまいだった。I bought the ticket to the concert, but I had a lot on my plate so I ended up not going.
- 日本で使うために電子辞書を持っていったが、持ち運ぶのが面倒だったから結局使わずじまいだった。I brought my electronic dictionary to Japan to use it there, but I ended up not using it because it was a pain to carry it.
Caution
As is always the case with ず, する will be altered to せず.-
好きな子に告白せずじまいで、高校を卒業してしまった。I ended up graduating highschool without confessing my feelings to the girl I liked.
Examples
A:「結局、やらずじまいで新学期になっちゃったよ。」
B:「なにをやらなかったの?」
A:「夏休みの宿題…」A: 'I ended up not doing it, and the new school term started.'
B: 'What did you not do?'
A: 'The summer homework...'「宇崎さんと映画館に行こうと思っていたけど、仕事から手が離せなくて結局行けずじまいだった。」
'I planned to go to the cinema with Uzaki, but I couldn't get away from work, so I ended up not going.'
小説:「事故の原因について調べようとしたが、ついにわからずじまいだった。」
Novel: 'I tried to investigate the cause of the accident, but I ended up not discovering anything.'
「最新の愛Phoneを買おうとストアに10時間並んだのに、自分の番が来る頃には欲しい色がもう売り切れていて結局買えずじまいだった。」
'I stood for 10 hours in line to buy the new 愛Phone, but when my turn came, it turned out that the color I wanted had already sold out, so I ended up not buying it.'
「日本語の教科書をたくさん買ったけど、結局使わずじまいだった。」
'I bought lots of Japanese textbooks, but I ended up not using them.'
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