Negative Volition: ～まい
The auxiliary verb まい is best known as the negative volitional auxiliary. In Modern Japanese, it functions as the opposite of the volitional auxiliary ～（よ）う, but historically it is the antonym of ～べし (=～べきだ).
Although its use in the spoken language has diminished quite a lot, it remains fairly common in the written language, particularly grammatical structures, as well as certain dialects with some unique adaptations.
Conjugating with ～まい
「～まい」の接続
In prescriptive Standard Japanese, the auxiliary verb ～まい follows the 未然形 with 一段 verbs (which includes the passive/causative auxiliary verbs ～（ら）れる ～（さ）せる1, ～しめる), サ変 verbs (する), and カ変 verbs (来る), but it follows the 終止形 with 五段 verbs and the politeness marking auxiliary verb ～ます.
| Verb Class | Base | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 一段動詞 | ∅-未然形 | 食べまい |
| 五段動詞 | ∅-終止形 | 言うまい |
| サ変動詞 | shi-未然形 | しまい |
| カ変動詞 | ko-未然形 | 来まい |
| ～ます | ∅-終止形 | ～ますまい |
Although the above chart represents the standardized conjugation norms for this auxiliary, considerable fluctuation has existed for centuries, to the point that some variation has become accepted in modern times.
| Standard | Accepted | Dialectal | |
| 上一段 例、見る | 見まい | 見るまい | 見よまい |
| 下一段 例、食べる | 食べまい | 食べるまい | 食べよまい |
| 五段 例、行く | 行くまい | 行かまい 行こまい | |
| サ変 例、する | しまい | するまい すまい2 | せまい |
| カ変 例、来る | こまい | くるまい | くまい きまい |
From the perspective of the 未然形, if ～まい is inherently less modern, then it would only seem logical for it to be paired with the traditional 未然形 for when there is a discrepancy, such as which exists for the サ変 verb する—se– being the traditional 未然形 seen in constructions like せず (＝しない). Yet, despite せまい being the historically pure form, its use among modern speakers across dialects is only marginal. Conversely, 来る is regular in this regard for maintaining こまい over きまい, with the latter using き as an alternative 未然形 mirroring し for する in the same capacity but never having gained widespread acceptance. Moreover, 五段 verbs have experienced dialectal acceptance of ～まい attaching to their 未然形.
Having ～まい follow the 終止形 with all classes of verbs has become so prevalent that doing so has become generally accepted and will at some point in the future become standardized. In the cases of するまい vs すまい and 来るまい vs 来（く）まい, this is a matter of whether the traditional 終止形 of these verbs without the final /ru/ is used over the modern 終止形 with the final /ru/.
Conjugating ～まい
「～まい」の活用
～まい, like all other auxiliary verbs, has its own bases. However, much has changed over time, and as a consequence, only its 終止形 and 連体形 remain in use.
| 終止形 | 連体形 |
| まい | まい |
The 連体形 is practically only used with the nominalizers こと and もの.
Negative Volition
打ち消しの意志
The primary usage of ～まい is to show negative volition – “shall not.” This can be roughly reworded as ～ないようにするつもりだ. Although it isn’t that common in the spoken language, it is very succinct and it can be said that is more emphatic as an effect.
1. もう言うまい！
I shall say no more.
2. もう二度とそんな過ちは繰り返すまい。
I shall not make such a mistake again.
3. 債権者もそんな過酷な手段は認めますまい。
Not even the creditor would approve of such a cruel means.
4. 絶対に落第すまい3ぞ！
I will absolutely not fail!
5. じっと女の顔を見た刹那、わたしは男を殺さない限り、此処は去るまいと覚悟しました。
The moment I fixed my glance on the woman’s face, I was determined not to leave until I killed the man.
From 『藪の中』 by 芥川龍之介.
Negative Supposition
打ち消しの推量
The auxiliary verb ～まい may also indicate ‘negative supposition,’ which is parallel to how the auxiliary verb ～（よ）う may indicate ‘affirmative supposition,’ but unlike the latter, ～まい is just as often used to indicate negative volition as it does negative supposition.
Negative supposition indicates what the speaker views as unlikely to occur. In modern language, this would be usually rendered with ～ないだろう. However, ～まい still holds on in this capacity in literature as well as in the speech of older generations, as well as by anyone who wishes to sound more assertive.
Though quite uncommon nowadays, it is also possible to see this usage adapted to polite speech in the form of ～ますまい.
6. 知らなかったわけではあるまい。
It’s not that they didn’t know.
7. 妻の罪はそれだけではない。それだけならばこの闇の中に、今程おれも苦しみはしまい。
The wife’s crime wasn’t just that. If it were, I too wouldn’t be suffering as I am now in this darkness.
From 『藪の中』 by 芥川龍之介.
8. 兎に角わたしはどうしても、死に切る力がなかったのです。小刀を喉に突き立てたり、山の裾の池へ身を投げたり、いろいろな事もして見ましたが、死にきれずにこうしている限り、これも自慢にはなりますまい。
Anyway, in the end, I did not have the strength to really die. I had thrust the knife into my throat, thrown myself into the pond at the foot of the mountain, and all sorts of other things, but insofar I am like this unable to die, this too is surely nothing to boast.
From『藪の中』 by 芥川龍之介.
9. その後の事を申し上げるだけ、無用の口数に過ぎますまい。
Merely speaking of what happened after would be no more than useless words.
From 『藪の中』 by 芥川龍之介.
10. 併し死刑の宣告を受けた人は、処刑の日を前知している代わりには、いよいよ刑に逢うまで、若し赦免になりはすまいか、偶然助かりはすまいか、奇蹟がありはすまいかなんぞと思っているのです。
However, for those who receive a death sentence, mustn’t they being hoping for a pardon, being suddenly saved, or even a miracle up until the moment they meet their punishment instead of knowing their execution date?
From 『死』 by 森鴎外.
11. いくら肉親の妹だって、姉の骨まで見たことはあるまいから、分かるもんか。
Even if it was your own little sister, you’d never understand since you’ve never seen your sister turned to bones.
From 『死体紹介人』 by 川端康成.
12. 「里子ちゃん、いらっしゃい。お雑煮のお餅を焼きましょうね。里子ちゃんも、お手つだいしてちょうだい。」などと言って、菊子は里子を台所へ呼び寄せ、信吾の寝部屋の廊下を走らせまいとするつもりらしいが、里子は聞く風もなく、ぺたぺた廊下を走りつづけた。
Kikuko had said, “Satoko-chan, come here. Let’s make some zoni mochi. Won’t you please help?” to call Satoko to the kitchen, and although it seemed she had intended for her not to run down the hall past Shingo’s bedroom, Satoko paid no heed to this and continued running down loudly through the hall.
From 『山の音』 by 川端康成.
13. 争いが無ければ、かかる嘆きはあるまいものを4。
If there were no war, nay, there would be no such grief as this.
Prohibition
禁止
Similar to the concept of showing negative volition, when used in the second person, ～まい may be used in the same sense as ～てはいけない. In doing so, it is usually followed by the final particle ぞ.
14. 迂闊なことは言うまいぞ。
You mustn’t speak absurdities.
15. 一兵たりとも逃がすまいぞ。
You mustn’t let a single soldier escape.
16. あとわずかだ、油断すまいぞ。
Just a little more; you mustn’t let your guard down.
17. 決して他人には漏らすまいぞ。
You absolutely mustn’t leak this to anyone.
～まいとする
～まいとする is equivalent to ～ないようにする・ないでおこうとする in more modern phrasing, as such it is most prevalent in the written language or when the speaker wishes to sound far more assertive with their intent of non-action. This structure is the antonym of ～ようとする.
18. 笑うまいとしても、つい笑ってしまうだろう。
Even if you try not to laugh, you’ll eventually end up laughing.
19. 瑠璃子は涙を見せまいとしていたが、その瞳は真っ赤になっていた。
Ruriko tried to not let her tears be seen, but her eyes were bright red.
20. 世の中に反逆的に生きることに夢中だった俺は、時間という世間の常識にも縛られまいとしていた。
I have strived not to be bound by the world’s common sense notion of “time,” having devoted myself to living life rebelling against the world.
21. 学生たちは、先生の動作を食い入るように見つめ、少しも見逃すまいとしていたようだった。
It seemed as though the students had intently stared at their sensei’s every move, daring not to miss anything.
22. パニックを起こすまいとしたが、全身の感覚が麻痺していくのがわかった。
I tried not to panic, but I knew that my whole body’s senses were numbing up.
Just as is the case with ～ようとする, ～まいとする may be adapted to utilize other verbs besides する which may be used with the quotative particle と, and it is also possible to use the clause containing ～まい as an adverbial clause without する.
23. 会うまいと決心した。
I decided that I wasn’t going to meet (him).
24. その時までは決して彼に会うまいと心に決めていた。
Until that time (would come to pass), I decided in my heart that I would never meet him.
25. 彼女は眠るまいと決心していたが、結局眠りにつけてしまった。
She was resolute not to sleep, but she finally ended up falling asleep.
26. 武史は、絶対に｛逃がさまい △・逃がすまい ◎｝と、相手の肩を掴んで、手に力を入れた。
Takeshi, daring not to allow the other person to get away, snags them by the shoulder, and squeezes down.
～でもあるまい & ～こともあるまい
The grammatical patterns ～でもあるまい and ～こともあるまい are both used to indicate a scenario deemed inappropriate by being critical to the point of downplaying the situation altogether, which results in these patterns being rendered in English as “it’s not as if…” When such statements are directed towards oneself, there is a rather strong self-deprecating tone produced.
As for how the two structures differ, they are merely different adaptions based on the kind of predicate involved. For noun-predicates, use Noun + ～でもあるまい, and for verbal predicates, use 連体形 ＋ ～こともあるまい.
27. 本当のことを言われたからと言って、何もそんなに怒ることはあるまい。
There is nothing to be so mad about just for being told the truth.
This use of ～まい does remain prevalent in the spoken language, but when it is used, it is usually accompanied with the particle し, here used like a final particle to tone down the seriousness of the situation the speaker thinks is out of line. Note also that でもあるまい may be rendered as ではあるまい5 or even じゃあるまい, with the latter being colloquial in tone due to the contraction of では to じゃ.
28. 車で15分ほどの所に住む人は泊まりに行くこともあるまいし。
Besides, people who live 15 minutes away by car would not stay (there).
29. 子供じゃあるまいし、自分で買いなさい。
It’s not as if you’re a kid; buy it yourself.
Though somewhat less common these days, this use of ～まい may be seen with the final particle に, which emphasizes the speaker’s displeasure/dissatisfaction.
30. 黙っていれば言うこともあるまいに。
If you’d just stay quiet, you’d have nothing to say.
As you can see, negative supposition and the sense of prohibition are both at play here.
31. 馬鹿じゃあるまいし、そんなことをするな。
It’s not as if you’re an idiot, so don’t do that.
～まいか
As mentioned above, ～まいか may be used to express a request in the same way ～ないか is used in more modern speech. As such, this is rather old-fashioned in Standard Japanese. Or, it may be analogous to ～ないのだろうか to indicate supposition via the negative. The difference is based on intonation: upward intonation = ないか; downward intonation = ～ないのだろうか6.
32. 天気予報は雪だったが、このぶんだと、今日はもう降るまいか。
The weather forecast called for snow, but at this rate, there won’t be any snow today, huh.
33. 寒いから毛布を持ってきてくれまいか。
It’s cold, so could you bring me a blanket?
34. 儂にもその製法を教えてもらえまいか。
Could I have you teach me that formulation, too?
～のではあるまい（か）
Of course, the nominalizer の may be used in conjunction with the auxiliary ～まい. In doing so, ～のではあるまい functions parallel to how ～のではない does in modern speech. Whether ～まい should be interpreted as literally expressing negative supposition or agreeance via a rhetorical, negative tag-question. Unlike its Modern Japanese equivalent ～のではないか, the negative tag-question marker ～まい（か）has a downward intonation7.
As for the exact function of ～のではある (=のだ) in conjunction with ～まい, のである itself indicates the speaker’s confidence in affirming the statement in light of a context at works, but the conviction is not quite 100% due to the suppositional nature of ～まい.
Speech Style Note: のではあるまい may be rendered as のじゃあるまい to reflect the pattern’s use in the speech of older generation.
35. 元々、魚がお好きなのじゃあるまいか。
Haven’t you always liked fish (which is why you like it so much)?
36. 別にわざとしたんじゃあるまいよ。
It’s not like I did it particularly on purpose, you know?
37. よもや戦（いくさ）が恐ろしいのではありますまいな？
Surely war isn’t so terrifying, no?
38. このお酒は儂が最も好きな日本酒のうちのひとつであり、まさかお前がわざわざ買ってくれたのではあるまいか。
This sake is one of my favorite sakes, don’t tell me you were the one who went out of your way to buy it for me?
～あろうことかあるまいことか
Seen as such in なろうことかなるまいことか, ～まい may also indicate what ought not to be so and in a rather condescending light.
39. あろうことかあるまいことか、新しく買った携帯を海に投げるなんて・・・
Of all things, throwing your newly bought phone into the ocean…
40. 自分の思い通りになろうことかなるまいことか、よく考えてみろ。
There is no sense in thinking things will go your way; think about it.
～まじき
Though the 連体形 of ～まい is no longer used much in modern speech, the 連体形8 of its predecessor, まじき, is actually more productive, surviving in the phrase あるまじき (unworthy/improper) and a handful of other phrases. This usage derives from its prohibition nuance.
41. あるまじき行為だ。
It is an improper act.
42. すまじき9ものは宮仕え。（Set Phrase)
It is better to work for oneself than to work for someone else.
～まじき ＝ ～まじい
Occasionally in Early Modern Japanese literature, you may encounter まじい, which is the stage its 連体形・終止形 took before being further reduced to ～まい.
43. 「早くね、早くね。」と、言うなり後向いて走り出したのは噓みたいにあっけなかったが、遠ざかる後姿を見送っていると、なぜまたあの娘はいつもああ真剣な様子なのだろうと、この場にあるまじい不審が島村の心を掠めた。
Her running off as soon as she looked back saying “hurry, hurry!” seemed all too much like a lie, but as Shimamura looked at her retreating figure go farther away, a suspicion unfit for the scene grazed his mind as he thought again about why she was always so serious.
From 『雪国』 by 川端康成。
44. 士官の軍刀と、半玉の守り袋や花簪の鈴とが、足拍子につれて鳴った。兵士にあるまじい、哀傷の歌詞でありながら、二十五前後の青年と十五六の少女との合唱であるために、進軍の歌の響きがあった。
The officer’s saber and the young geisha’s little pouch and bells on her flowery hairpin resounded with the beating of their feet. Though the lyrics were elegiac and unbecoming of a solider, as it was the ensemble of a twenty-five or so year old lad and a fifteen, sixteen or so year old girl, it had the quality of a marching song.
From 『童謡』 by 川端康成.
45. 触れるほど顔を重ねて見るほど、能面にはあるまじい邪道だろう。
It was surely heresy unworthy of the Noh mask to even touch or try to put over one’s face.
From 『山の音』 by 川端康成.
- For the short causatives form ～さす and ～す, ～まい is observed following the 終止形, as these shortened forms exhibit 五段 conjugations. ↩︎
- Some speakers feel that すまい is more emphatic than しまい, but this perception is likely due to the pervasive use of 終止形＋～まい, which affects する as with any other verb, predating the use of し（未然形）+ ～まい over the historical form せまい. ↩︎
- Regarding the use of the verb する with this usage of ～まい, some speakers feel that すまい is more effective at expressing one’s intent (lack thereof) than しまい. This may be due to すまい having existed in this capacity for much longer. ↩︎
- ～ものを is a somewhat old-fashioned compound final particle which expresses lament. ↩︎
- The difference between は and も here is a subtle one. Whereas は would downplay the scenario as not being so in light of what it could be, も would soften the tone and in light of not being so. ↩︎
- This is the opposite intonation found with the modern ～ないのだろうか. ↩︎
- The downward intonation is explained from the culture of giving a “yes” even when there is the potential of a situation “not” being so, which also explains way negative structures are used in “affirmative” tag questions. ↩︎
- The auxiliary verb 〜まい derives from the Classical Japanese auxiliary verb 〜まじ, itself a contraction of 〜ましじ, a combination of two moribund auxiliaries: 〜まし (supposition marker) and 〜じ (negative volition marker). 〜まし itself is believed to be an adjectivalized form of the volition auxiliary 〜む, which is the ancestor to the Modern Japanese volitional auixilaries 〜よう・う. ↩︎
- Also seen as せまじきものは宮仕え. The form せまい was, in fact, used in Edo Period colloquial speech, and it can be still heard in situations such as authentic kabuki performances. ↩︎