無し

Japanese

Kanji in this term

Grade: 4
kun'yomi

Etymology

Classical terminal form of the modern adjective () (nai).

Pronunciation

Noun

() • (nashi

  1. nothing
  2. (colloquial) bad, unacceptable

Suffix

() • (-nashi

  1. -less, without ..., not having or not being that thing
    ルールなし
    rūru nashi
    no rules
    西(せい)()戦線(せんせん)()(じょう)なし
    “Seibu Sensen Ijō Nashi
    There are no abnormalities on the Western Front (the Japanese title of All Quiet on the Western Front)

Adjective

() • (nashi-ku

  1. Classical Japanese and literary form of ない (nai)
    ()(にん)(くち)なし
    Shinin ni kuchi nashi.
    Dead men tell no tales.
    (literally, “Dead men have no mouths.”)

Inflection

Classical conjugation of "無し" (ク活用, see Appendix:Japanese verbs.)
Stem forms
Irrealis (未然形) 無く[1]
無から[2]
なく
なから
naku
nakara
Continuative (連用形) 無く[1]
無かり[2]
なく
なかり
naku
nakari
Terminal (終止形) 無し なし nasi
Attributive (連体形) 無き
無かる
なき
なかる
naki
nakaru
Realis (已然形) 無けれ なけれ nakere
Imperative (命令形) 無かれ なかれ nakare
Key constructions
Negative 無からず なからず nakarazu
Contrasting conjunction 無けれど なけれど nakeredo
Causal conjunction 無ければ なければ nakereba
Conditional conjunction 無くば なくば nakuba
Past tense (firsthand knowledge) 無かりき なかりき nakariki
Past tense (secondhand knowledge) 無かりけり なかりけり nakarikeri
Adverbial 無く なく naku

[1]Without auxiliary verb.
[2]With auxiliary verb.