JLPT N1 grammar
〜を禁じ得ない — Meaning & Examples
"Cannot suppress (an emotion)." Emotion noun + を禁じ得ない; strictly formal/written. 涙を禁じ得ない = couldn't hold back tears. Companions: 怒り・驚き・同情.
〜を禁じ得ない — "Cannot Suppress (an Emotion)"
を禁じ得ない（をきんじえない）means an emotion wells up that you cannot hold back. It attaches ONLY to emotion nouns and is strictly written/formal.
Pattern: [emotion noun] + を禁じ得ない
被災地の映像に、涙を禁じ得なかった。
= Watching footage of the disaster area, I could not hold back my tears.
彼の無責任な発言には怒りを禁じ得ない。
= I cannot suppress my anger at his irresponsible remarks.
突然の訃報に驚きを禁じ得ない。
= I cannot contain my shock at the sudden news of his passing.
The usual companions: 涙（tears）・怒り（anger）・驚き（surprise）・同情（sympathy）・失望（disappointment）
vs ずにはいられない (N2):
・泣かずにはいられない = can't help crying（verb-based, speech OK）
・涙を禁じ得ない = cannot suppress tears（noun-based, formal writing）
Same heart, different dress code. 🎩
Key feeling: A formal writer admitting genuine emotion — dignified, restrained, moved.
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on 〜を禁じ得ない. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 涙を___なかった。 (I couldn't hold back my tears — formal writing)
- 済まされ (sumasare)
- 余儀なくされ (yogi naku sare)
- 禁じ得 (kinji e)
- おかれ (okare)
Show answer
Answer: 禁じ得 (kinji e)
涙を禁じ得なかった = could not suppress my tears. を禁じ得ない takes emotion nouns in formal writing.
2. を禁じ得ない attaches to what?
- Verb て-forms
- Emotion nouns
- I-adjectives
- Particles
Show answer
Answer: Emotion nouns
Only emotion nouns: 涙・怒り・驚き・同情・失望 + を禁じ得ない.
3. 「この映画は、見る者を感動させ___。」 (never fails to move viewers)
- ずにはいられない (zu ni wa irarenai)
- ずにはおかない (zu ni wa okanai)
- ないでは済まない (nai de wa sumanai)
- を禁じ得ない (o kinji enai)
Show answer
Answer: ずにはおかない (zu ni wa okanai)
ずにはおかない = the subject (the film) inevitably brings the effect about. 感動させずにはおかない.
Practise 〜を禁じ得ない in the free app
This point is part of the “Uncontainable — を禁じ得ない・を余儀なくされる・ずにはおかない” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N1 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N1 grammar points
From the same lesson: Uncontainable — を禁じ得ない・を余儀なくされる・ずにはおかない
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜を禁じ得ない mean?
"Cannot suppress (an emotion)." Emotion noun + を禁じ得ない; strictly formal/written. 涙を禁じ得ない = couldn't hold back tears. Companions: 怒り・驚き・同情.
Is 〜を禁じ得ない on the JLPT N1 test?
〜を禁じ得ない is taught in the JLPT N1 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Uncontainable — を禁じ得ない・を余儀なくされる・ずにはおかない”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜を禁じ得ない?
Open the “Uncontainable — を禁じ得ない・を余儀なくされる・ずにはおかない” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N1 mock exams, with no ads.