〜ずじまいだ (~zujimai da) — ended up never doing ~
I meant to… but the chance passed and it ended without my ever doing it. A word of quiet regret.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- On your trip to Nepal you planned to see an old friend, but work, relatives, a wedding — the holiday ended in the rush and you are back in Japan.
- That regret in Japanese: 「友達に会えずじまいだった」— it ended without my ever getting to meet them.
Meaning
- 「〜ずじまい」= 'I meant to, but never got to do it / it finished without it happening'.
- It carries the sad regret of 'the chance was there and it slipped away — the moment has passed'.
How to attach
- Take the ない-form, drop 「ない」, put 「ず」, then add 「じまい」: 行かない → 行かずじまい, 出せない → 出せずじまい
- する is special: 「せずじまい」(not しず).
- It is usually followed by 「だった・で・の N」— it is always something already over, so most sentences are past tense.
Versus what you know
- Plain 「会わなかった」just says 'I did not meet'; 「会えずじまい」adds the sadness of 'the chance was there and it slipped away'.
- N3The 「〜ずに」(without doing) you learned is the base.
Watch out
- If there is still a chance, do not say 「ずじまい」— when 'I can still meet them tomorrow', this word does not appear.
- Only for what is finished and whose time has gone.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
今回の帰国では、忙しくて昔の友達に会えずじまいだった。
こんかいのきこくでは、いそがしくてむかしのともだちにあえずじまいだった。
On this trip home I was so busy that I ended up never seeing my old friends.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 会える = can meet → ない-form: 会えない → drop ない and add ず: 会えず → we attach 「じまい」 → it's in the past, so 「だった」.
店長に相談したかったが、言い出せずじまいで一年が過ぎた。
てんちょうにそうだんしたかったが、いいだせずじまいでいちねんがすぎた。
I wanted to talk to the manager, but a year went by without my ever bringing it up.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 言い出せる = can bring it up → 言い出せない → 言い出せず → 「じまい」 → 「で」 links the sentence → 一年が過ぎた: the chance was lost.
日本語の試験を申し込んだのに、結局受験せずじまいだった。
にほんごのしけんをもうしこんだのに、けっきょくじゅけんせずじまいだった。
I had signed up for the Japanese exam, but in the end I never took it.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 受験する = to take an exam → the ず-form of する is special: せず (not しず) → 受験せず → 「じまい」 → 「だった」.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「連休はどこへも＿じまいだった。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: What replaces ない?
Drop ない, add ず + じまい. 行かずじまい = ended without going.
In which sentence is 「ずじまい」unnatural?
💡 Hint: What if there is still a chance?
ずじまい is only for what is over and the chance lost; not when you plan to meet next week.
「会わなかった」vs 「会えずじまいだった」— what is the difference?
💡 Hint: Which one carries regret?
会わなかった = simply did not meet; 会えずじまい = wanted to but the chance slipped away.
Your score: /3