べくもないno way to; out of the question
"No way to": something is so far out of reach that you can't even hope for it, know it or compare it. It lives in a handful of written set phrases; in conversation it is とても…ない or …ようがない.
As things stand, total victory is out of the question.
How to form it
Verb in the dictionary form + べくもない
Mostly after one of five verbs: 望む, 知る, 比べる, 疑う, 及ぶ. する gives すべくもない. Past: べくもなかった.
- Tone
- Flat and final: there is no use even trying.
- Often with
- など on what is out of reach: 勝利など.
- Where you'll meet it
- Essays, commentary, history, novels. It is for reading.
The five you'll meet
望むべくもないcan't even hope for
The way we lived then, going to college was out of the question.
The commonest. People say とても望めない.
知るべくもないno way of knowing
There is no way of knowing now who first made this song.
People say 知りようがない.
比べるべくもないno comparison
The gap in skill between the two is so wide that there is no comparison.
Also in an older shape, 比ぶべくもない. People say 比べものにならない.
疑うべくもないbeyond doubt
The work's influence on later generations is beyond doubt.
No room for doubt, so it is a firm yes. People say 疑いようがない.
及ぶべくもないno match for
My cooking is no match for my mother's.
People say とてもかなわない.
Not a general "can't"
With an everyday verb it is absurdly grand.
Sounds odd: 財布を
Having forgotten my wallet, I was in no position to purchase lunch.
買えなかった.
The other べ forms
All come from べし, the old word behind べきだ. Each means something different.
べくN1
"In order to": the ために of formal writing.
The government established an expert panel in order to rebuild regional medical services.
べくしてN1
"As was bound to", with the same verb before and after it.
After all her training and preparation, she won, as she was bound to.
"Must not", on old signs and in maxims; べからざる before a noun.
Do not enter beyond this gate.
べきだN3
"Should": the everyday one, which you already know.
Experts should honestly admit what they don't know.
Close neighbours
ようがないN2
The everyday "no way to": the means are missing.
As long as the person says nothing, we have no way of knowing their true intentions.
わけがないN3
"There's no way" that something is true: it rules an idea out. はずがない is close.
There is no way he would believe a story like that.
Check yourself
1What does this mean?
彼の
Choose an answer to see why.
2Which sentence sounds natural?
Choose an answer to see why.
More sentences
An ordinary soldier could not possibly have known the king's true intentions.
There can be no doubt that this conclusion is valid.
The fear felt by the residents at the time is beyond our imagination today.
想像する → 想像すべくもない.