JLPT N1Written, formalYour own reaction

を禁きんじ得えないcannot hold back (a feeling)

You read, see or hear something, and a feeling wells up that you can't hold back: sympathy, anger, tears. 禁きんじる here is "hold back", not "forbid".

被ひ災さい地ちから届とどいた証しょう言げんに、深ふかい同どう情じょうを禁きんじ得えない。

I cannot help feeling deep sympathy at the accounts coming out of the disaster area.

長なが年ねんの努ど力りょくが実みを結むすんだ瞬しゅん間かん、涙なみだを禁きんじ得えなかった。

At the moment when years of effort finally bore fruit, I could not hold back my tears.

How to form it

Noun + を禁きんじ得えない

Read きんじえない; also written 禁きんじえない. Often with の念ねん, "a feeling of": 同どう情じょうの念ねんを禁きんじ得えない.

Goes with: A noun for a feeling, or for what a feeling does to you: 同どう情じょう (sympathy), 怒いかり, 憤いきどおり (outrage), 驚おどろき, 失しつ望ぼう, 疑ぎ問もん, 涙なみだ, 苦く笑しょう (a wry smile).
Said about: Your own reaction to something in front of you.
Where you'll meet it: Editorials, reviews, official statements, novels. Hardly ever in conversation.
People say: 同どう情じょうせずにはいられない, 涙なみだが止とまらなかった.

In use

調ちょう査さ報ほう告こくで明あきらかになった被ひ害がいの実じっ態たいに、深ふかい憤いきどおりを禁きんじ得えない。

I cannot contain my outrage at the true extent of the harm revealed in the investigation report.

私わたしは公こう開かいされた記き録ろく映えい像ぞうを見みて、驚おどろきを禁きんじ得えなかった。

Watching the archive footage that had been released, I could not hide my astonishment.

彼かれのあまりに大おおげさな弁べん明めいには、苦く笑しょうを禁きんじ得えなかった。

I couldn't help a wry smile at his wildly overblown excuse.

A feeling, not something you do

English "can't help" also takes an action: can't help eating, can't help buying. That is a verb with ずにはいられない.

Not said: 甘あまいものを見みると、食たべることを禁きんじ得えない。

(When I see sweet things, I can't help eating them.)

食たべずにはいられない.

Other forms for a feeling or quality at its extreme

極まる・極まりないN1

A な-adjective, nearly always a harsh verdict: 失しつ礼れい極きわまる, 危き険けん極きわまりない. The two mean the same.

その発はつ言げんは無ぶ礼れい極きわまりない。

That remark is outrageously rude.

の極みN1

A noun for a state, good or bad: 贅ぜい沢たくの極きわみ, 疲ひ労ろうの極きわみ.

連れん日じつの徹てつ夜やで、担たん当とう者しゃは疲ひ労ろうの極きわみにあった。

After night after night without sleep, the person in charge was utterly exhausted.

の至りN1

A handful of nouns in ceremonial thanks and apology: 光こう栄えいの至いたり, 恐きょう縮しゅくの至いたり.

今こん回かい、栄えい誉よある賞しょうを賜たまわり、光こう栄えいの至いたりです。

I could not be more honored to receive this distinguished award.

てやまないN1

A verb for a lasting wish or regard: 願ねがってやまない, 尊そん敬けいしてやまない. Speeches and letters.

私わたくしどもは、母ぼ校こうのさらなる発はっ展てんを願ねがってやみません。

We sincerely wish our old school every further success.

ても～きれないN1

The same verb of feeling, twice: 悔くやんでも悔くやみきれない, 感かん謝しゃしてもしきれない. Everyday too.

私わたしはあの日ひの判はん断だんを、どれほど悔くやんでも悔くやみきれない。

However much I regret the decision I made that day, it will never be enough.

Close neighbours

ずにはいられないN2

After a verb, and at home in conversation as well.

その知しらせを読よんで、涙なみだを流ながさずにはいられなかった。

When I read the news, I couldn't hold back my tears.

に堪えないN1

Ceremonial, with 感かん謝しゃ and 喜よろこび: the thanks of speeches and formal letters.

皆みな様さまのご支し援えんには感かん謝しゃに堪たえません。

I am overwhelmed with gratitude for everyone's support.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

あまりに無む責せき任にんな発はつ言げんに、怒いかりを禁きんじ得えない。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

責せき任にんを回かい避ひするかのような説せつ明めいには、失しつ望ぼうを禁きんじ得えない。

I cannot hide my disappointment at an explanation that seems designed to dodge responsibility.

事じ故こ原げん因いんの隠いん蔽ぺいが事じ実じつなら、関かん係けい者しゃへの疑ぎ念ねんを禁きんじ得えない。

If the cause of the accident really was covered up, I cannot help doubting those involved.