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〜ずじまい

zu jimai

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Meaning

"ended up never doing ~" — a regret that something intended was never done.

Uses the ない-stem plus ずじまい (する becomes せずじまい). It always carries regret about an opportunity that has now passed for good.

Looking back on missed chances; written and spoken alike, slightly literary.

Formation

V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

  • V-ない stem + ずじまい
  • する → せずじまい
  • Often 〜ずじまいだ / 〜ずじまいで / 〜ずじまいになる

Visual diagram

  1. Step 1お寺を見なかったdid not see the temples (plain)
  2. Step 2結局、お寺を見なかったin the end, did not see the temples
  3. Step 3お寺を見ずじまいだったended up never seeing the temples (regret; the chance was there)

Natural examples

  1. 結局、その本は読まずじまいになった。

    けっきょく、そのほんはよまずじまいになった。

    In the end I never did read that book.

  2. せっかく京都に行ったのに、金閣寺は見ずじまいだった。

    せっかくきょうとにいったのに、きんかくじはみずじまいだった。

    I went all the way to Kyoto and still never saw Kinkaku-ji.

  3. 彼に本当の気持ちを言えずじまいで、卒業してしまった。

    かれにほんとうのきもちをいえずじまいで、そつぎょうしてしまった。

    I graduated without ever telling him how I really felt.

Similar grammar and the difference

  • 結局〜なかった

    Neutral statement of the result; no nuance of missed chance.

  • 〜ないまま

    "Without doing" (a state continuing); less focus on the end result.

  • 〜そびれる

    "Miss the chance to" (言いそびれる); similar but a verb compound.

  • 〜っぱなし

    Leaving something undone or in a state; different focus.

Common mistakes

  • ✗
    会わないじまい
    ✓
    会わずじまい
    Why
    Use the ず form, not ない.
  • ✗
    しずじまい
    ✓
    せずじまい
    Why
    する becomes せず.
  • ✗
    勉強せずじまいで合格した。
    ✓
    勉強せずに合格した。
    Why
    ずじまい implies a regretted missed chance; passing without studying is not regret.

せっかく〜のに and 結局 are common partners. じまい comes from しまう / 仕舞い (end); rendaku makes it じまい. The subject is usually the speaker or someone whose regret is described.

JLPT N2 tips

On the exam

  • If the sentence has 結局 / せっかく〜のに and a verb in ず form, choose ずじまい.
  • Check する → せずじまい.
  • Distractors include ないまま, っぱなし, そびれる. ずじまい is the only one meaning 'ended up never doing'.

Frequently asked questions

What does 〜ずじまい mean?

"ended up never doing ~" — a regret that something intended was never done. Uses the ない-stem plus ずじまい (する becomes せずじまい). It always carries regret about an opportunity that has now passed for good.

How do you form 〜ずじまい?

V-ない stem + ずじまい / する → せずじまい / Often 〜ずじまいだ / 〜ずじまいで / 〜ずじまいになる. V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.

When is 〜ずじまい used?

Looking back on missed chances; written and spoken alike, slightly literary.

What is the difference between 〜ずじまい and 結局〜なかった?

Neutral statement of the result; no nuance of missed chance.

What is the difference between 〜ずじまい and 〜ないまま?

"Without doing" (a state continuing); less focus on the end result.

What is a common mistake with 〜ずじまい?

Wrong: 会わないじまい Right: 会わずじまい Use the ず form, not ない.

Quick check

1 / 5Multiple choiceDifficulty 3 of 5

忙しくて、せっかくもらったチケットを（　　）だった。