Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 9: 4/20

ずじまい

Ended up not, Did not (in the end), Never did

originates from the voiced verb[stem] form of しまう. Very often used in past form.

Structure

Verb［ない］+ ず + じまい

Details

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    Standard

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    一般

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'.
  • マウンテンバイクを買(か)ったが、使(つか)わずじまいで売(う)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(か)ったが、色々(いろいろ)とやることがあって行(い)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(にほん)で使(つか)うために電子(でんし)辞書(じしょ)を持(も)っていったが、持(も)ち運(はこ)ぶのが面倒(めんどう)だったから結局(けっきょく)使(つか)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.
ずじまい will often be followed by だった or でした, indicating that (A) was not something that turned out happening, despite the wishes or intentions of the doer.
Caution
As is always the case with ず, する will be altered to せず.
  • 好(す)きな子(こ)に告白(こくはく)せずじまいで、高校(こうこう)を卒業(そつぎょう)してしまった。
    I ended up graduating highschool without confessing my feelings to the girl I liked.

Examples

  • A：「結局(けっきょく)、やらずじまいで新(しん)学期(がっき)になっちゃったよ。」
    B：「なにをやらなかったの？」
    A：「夏休(なつやす)みの宿題(しゅくだい)…」

    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(うざき)さんと映画館(えいがかん)に行(い)こうと思(おも)っていたけど、仕事(しごと)から手(て)が離(はな)せなくて結局(けっきょく)行(い)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(しょうせつ)：「事故(じこ)の原因(げんいん)について調(しら)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(さいしん)の愛(あい)Phoneを買(か)おうとストアに１０時間(じかん)並(なら)んだのに、自分(じぶん)の番(ばん)が来(く)る頃(ころ)には欲(ほ)しい色(いろ)がもう売(う)り切(き)れていて結局(けっきょく)買(か)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(にほんご)の教科書(きょうかしょ)をたくさん買(か)ったけど、結局(けっきょく)使(つか)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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