Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 2: 1/17

じゃあるまいしYou are not ~ so..., it isn't ~ so...

Structure


Noun + じゃある(1) + まいし
Verb + ん + じゃある(1) + まいし
Verb + わけ + じゃある(1) + まいし

(1) ではある、でもある

Details

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About じゃあるまいし

じゃ or ではあるまいし is an expression which can be translated in a similar way to 'it is not (A), so it is not (B)', or 'you are not (A), so you can't (B)', and is often used for criticism of something acting in a way that is not befitting of it.

まい is an auxiliary verb which highlights negative-volitional statements. This means that it has a similar meaning to ないだろう. Due to this, the combination of では, the う-Verb ある 'to be', まい 'not as if', and し, the particle that highlights reasons, all combine to have a literal meaning of 'it is not as if it's (A), so therefore (B)'.

じゃあるまいし will be used after nouns, or phrases that have been nominalized with something like の.

The statement that follows じゃあるまいし will state the speaker's opinion in relation to (A), and will almost always be negative.

Examples

--:--

    減(へ)るもんじゃあるまいし車(くるま)を貸(か)してくれ。

    You are notgoing to lose out or anything, so lend me your car, man.

    子供(こども)じゃあるまいしお菓子(かし)を見(み)つけた途端(とたん)に全部(ぜんぶ)食(た)べるな！

    You are not a child, so don't instantly eat every sweet you stumble upon!

    アニメじゃあるまいし、かわいい女(おんな)の子(こ)は急(きゅう)に空(そら)から落(お)ちてこない。

    This is not an anime, so a cute girl won't suddenly fall out of the sky!

    田中(たなか)さん！新入(しんにゅう)社員(しゃいん)でもあるまいし！そんな簡単(かんたん)なミスはすべきじゃないよ。

    Tanaka-san! You are not a new employee, so you should not make such simple mistakes.

    お父(とう)さん、結婚(けっこん)するわけじゃあるまいし、ただの学校(がっこう)のパーティーだよ。泣(な)かないで。

    Papa, I am not getting married. It is just a school party, so please don't cry!

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