N1 Emotion and Feeling

~を禁きんじ得えない: meaning, usage and examples

~を禁きんじ得えない means: cannot help but... / cannot suppress...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 彼かれの不幸ふこうな話はなしを聞きいて、涙なみだを禁きんじ得えなかった。

   I couldn't suppress my tears after hearing his sad story.

2. その不公平ふこうへいな判決はんけつに、怒いかりを禁きんじ得えない。

   I cannot help but feel anger at that unfair verdict.

3. 犯人はんにんの身勝手みがってな言いい分ぶんには、憤いきどおりを禁きんじ得えない。

   I cannot help feeling indignant at the offender's selfish excuses.

4. 被災ひさい地ちの映像えいぞうを見みて、同情どうじょうを禁きんじ得えなかった。

   Watching the footage of the disaster area, I could not help feeling deep sympathy.

When to use it

Means "cannot hold back" a feeling that rises naturally on seeing or hearing something: 涙なみだ, 怒いかり, 同情どうじょう, 驚おどろき, 憤いきどおり, 笑わらい. Example: 怒いかりを禁きんじ得えない, I cannot help feeling anger. It reports a reaction to news, events or other people's actions. Often follows a cause with に or て: その判決はんけつに怒いかりを禁きんじ得えない.

Nuance

Very formal and written; newspaper editorials, reports and formal speech. Takes only feeling nouns. The feeling comes from outside events, so it is not used for physical urges like sleepiness or hunger.

Compare

ずにはいられない is the everyday version and takes verbs: 泣なかずにはいられない. を禁きんじ得えない takes a noun: 涙なみだを禁きんじ得えない. に堪たえない is "too painful to look at or hear": 見みるに堪たえない. 禁きんじ得えない is a feeling you cannot stop; 堪たえない is something you cannot bear.

Tip: Literally "cannot forbid": you cannot stop yourself from feeling 涙なみだ, 怒いかり, 同情どうじょう. Always a noun plus を.