JLPT N1Spoken and writtenTwo shapes

言いうに言いえない・帰かえろうにも帰かえれないwant to, but can't

You want to do it, or try to, and can't. 言いうに言いえない is one of a few fixed phrases for being in a bind. 帰かえろうにも帰かえれない is made with any verb, when circumstances are in the way.

in a bind

本ほん当とうの理り由ゆうは分わかっていたが、本ほん人にんには言いうに言いえなかった。

I knew the real reason, but I couldn't bring myself to tell the person concerned.

blocked

終しゅう電でんもなく、財さい布ふもなくして、帰かえろうにも帰かえれなかった。

The last train had gone and I had lost my wallet, so I couldn't get home, much as I wanted to.

In a bind (mostly fixed phrases)

Verb dictionary form + に + the same verb's negative potential

言いうに言いえない, 泣なくに泣なけない, 引ひくに引ひけない and a few more.

Blocked (any verb)

Verb volitional form + にも + a negative potential

Usually the same verb's: 帰かえろうにも帰かえれない, 出でようにも出でられない, しようにもできない. Or the second half says what is missing: 連れん絡らくしようにも連れん絡らく先さきが分わからない.

Earlier in the sentence: Usually what is in the way, with て, ので or ず.
Where you'll meet it: Conversation, novels and essays alike. Both are forms people use.

言いうに言いえない: in a bind

People say these whole. What holds you back is mostly your own feelings, or the position you are in.

言いうに言いえないcan't say it, much as you want to

彼かれが会かい社しゃを辞やめたのには、言いうに言いえない事じ情じょうがあった。

Behind his leaving the company there were circumstances he couldn't talk about.

泣なくに泣なけないtoo wretched even to cry

締しめ切きりの前ぜん日じつにデータが全ぜん部ぶ消きえて、泣なくに泣なけない。

All my data vanished the day before the deadline. I want to cry and can't even do that.

引ひくに引ひけないcan't back down now

みんなの前まえで「できる」と言いってしまったので、今いまさら引ひくに引ひけない。

I said "I can do it" in front of everyone, so I can't back down now.

死しぬに死しねないcan't die with this left undone

孫まごの顔かおを見みるまでは、死しぬに死しねない。

I can't die until I've seen my grandchild's face.

笑わらうに笑わらえないcan't laugh it off

あまりに深しん刻こくな失しっ敗ぱいで、笑わらうに笑わらえなかった。

The mistake was too serious to laugh off.

聞きくに聞きけないcan't bring yourself to ask

詳くわしい事じ情じょうを聞ききたいが、相あい手ての表ひょう情じょうを見みると聞きくに聞きけない。

I want to ask what happened, but when I see the look on their face, I can't bring myself to.

Other verbs turn up in the same shape too: やめるにやめられない, 帰かえるに帰かえれない, 動うごくに動うごけない.

帰かえろうにも帰かえれない: blocked

This one is made fresh each time. Usually something outside you is in the way: no train, no money, no voice.

ドアが凍こおりつき、外そとへ出でようにも出でられない。

The door has frozen shut, so I can't get outside, though I want to.

声こえが出でず、助たすけを呼よぼうにも呼よべなかった。

My voice wouldn't come, so I couldn't call for help, though I tried.

名めい刺しをなくしてしまい、連れん絡らくしようにも連れん絡らく先さきが分わからない。

I've lost his business card, so even if I want to get in touch, I don't know how to reach him.

Here the second half says what is missing.

Close neighbours

ようがないN2

"There is no way to": the means are missing, whether or not anyone was trying. ようにも adds that you want to, or tried.

住じゅう所しょも電でん話わ番ばん号ごうも知しらないので、連れん絡らくのしようがない。

I don't know their address or their phone number, so I have no way of getting in touch.

わけにはいかないN3

"Can't very well": you could, but duty or manners rule it out. With 帰かえろうにも帰かえれない it is the other way around: you would, and can't.

部ぶ下かがまだ作さ業ぎょうしているのに、私わたしだけ帰かえるわけにはいかない。

My staff are still working, so I can't very well be the only one to go home.

Check yourself

1Which one is right?

財さい布ふを忘わすれて、弁べん当とうを買かおうにも（　　）。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this say?

彼かの女じょには言いうに言いえない悩なやみがあった。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

見みるに見みかねて is the に shape with かねる in place of the potential: you can't just stand and watch, so you step in.

新しん人じんが困こまっているのを見みるに見みかねて、手て伝つだった。

I couldn't just stand by and watch the new hire struggle, so I helped.

More sentences

事じ故この知しらせは、祖そ母ぼには言いうに言いえなかった。

I couldn't bring myself to tell my grandmother about the accident.

急きゅうに停てい電でんして、作さ業ぎょうを続つづけようにも続つづけられなかった。

The power suddenly went out, so I couldn't carry on working, though I wanted to.

会かい社しゃ名めいが分わからず、検けん索さくしようにも検けん索さくできなかった。

I didn't know the company's name, so I couldn't search for it, though I wanted to.

相あい手てが泣ないているのを見みて、別わかれの理り由ゆうを聞きこうにも聞きけなかった。

Seeing them in tears, I couldn't ask why we were breaking up, though I wanted to.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "can't" and "no way"