# まじき: should not; must not ~ > Learn how to use まじき, a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar pattern meaning 'should not; must not,' with structure, examples, and common mistakes. JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-majiki/ **まじき** means **should not; must not** (〜). It is a **JLPT N1** Japanese grammar pattern used to express strong condemnation—an action that is utterly beneath someone's dignity, role, or position. This grammar point often appears in formal statements, news reports, accusations, and JLPT N1 reading passages. If you want to denounce an act as unforgivable for a person in a certain capacity, **まじき** is a pattern that adds sharp, natural weight to your Japanese.
まじき marks an action as beneath the dignity of a role, carrying strong moral condemnation.
## What does まじき mean? Use **まじき** when you want to say that an action is unacceptable given someone's status, profession, or moral standing. It conveys the idea that the person *should* have known better precisely because of who they are. Natural translations include: - should not; must not; ought not to The form is archaic – derived from classical Japanese – but survives as a fixed, strong expression in modern formal and written Japanese. ## How to form まじき
Verb stem + まじき + Noun
Attach **まじき** directly to the **stem** of a verb (the part before ます), then follow it with a noun. This pattern is almost always a pre-noun modifier. - **許す(ゆるす)** → 許す(ゆるす)まじき + 行為(こうい) / こと: an act that should not be forgiven - **ある** → あるまじき + 言動(げんどう) / 態度(たいど): unacceptable behavior for (someone) Note that まじき is **not freely productive**; it collocates with a limited set of verbs, most commonly 許す(ゆるす) and ある, and is used in formal or accusatory registers. ## When is まじき used? Use **まじき** in situations like: - denouncing corruption, misconduct, or negligence tied to a profession - news headlines, official statements, and editorial opinions - expressing that an action is unforgivable *for someone of that standing* Tone and register: - formal, written, often accusatory - **never** casual; you won’t use it among friends or in everyday suggestions Common in test questions, newspaper articles, and JLPT N1 reading sections. ## まじき example sentences
公務員こうむいんとして許ゆるすまじき不正ふせいだ。
This is an inexcusable fraud for a public servant.
formal denunciation
教師きょうしにあるまじき発言はつげんで批判ひはんされた。
He was criticized for a remark unbecoming of a teacher.
unacceptable role violation
政治家せいじかにあるまじき金銭疑惑きんせんぎわくが報ほうじられた。
A financial scandal unbecoming of a politician was reported.
news headline tone
医者いしゃとして許ゆるすまじき過あやまちだった。
It was a mistake that a doctor must never make.
professional misconduct
安全あんぜんを軽視けいしするなど許ゆるすまじき行為こういだ。
Neglecting safety is an act that should never be condoned.
general censure
After reading each sentence, ask what job **まじき** is doing: it brands the action as a moral failure specifically tied to the person’s role. That makes the nuance easier to remember than a one-word translation. ## Nuance of まじき The key nuance is **strong condemnation based on a person’s position or expected standards**. This pattern is not about personal preference or simple rules. It expresses outrage that someone who *should* uphold certain values instead violated them. An official who commits fraud, a teacher who bullies a student – these are “あるまじき” or “許す(ゆるす)まじき” precisely because their role makes the act doubly wrong.
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Remember, まじき is never a plain suggestion; it implies moral indignation. Don’t use it for light advice like “you shouldn’t eat too much.”
Compared with softer patterns like べきではない or てはいけない, まじき carries a courtroom-like gravity. It’s almost declarative: “This is absolutely wrong for someone in that position.” ## まじき vs べきではない Both **まじき** and **べきではない** express that something should not be done, but they differ in intensity and scope.
まじき
role-bound condemnation
formal, written, tied to status
教師きょうしにあるまじき発言はつげんだ。
A remark unbecoming of a teacher.
vs
べきではない
general, advisory prohibition
neutral, everyday rules or suggestions
教師きょうしはそう言いうべきではない。
A teacher should not say that.
If both translations seem possible, check whether the sentence focuses on the person’s **identity/role** (→ まじき) or just on the action (→ べきではない). The former sounds like an accusation; the latter, like advice or a general norm. ## Common mistakes with まじき Watch out for these mistakes:
❌甘あまいものは食たべるまじきだ。
✅甘あまいものは食たべるべきではない。
まじき sounds absurd for dietary advice. Use べきではない.
❌社長しゃちょうに許ゆるすまじき会議かいぎだ。
✅社長しゃちょうとして許ゆるすまじき発言はつげんだ。
まじき attaches to the action, not a neutral noun. Use an appropriate target like 発言(はつげん) or 行為(こうい).
❌許ゆるしますまじき
✅許ゆるすまじき
Always attach まじき to the verb stem, not the polite form.
## Is まじき on the JLPT? Yes. **まじき** is firmly **JLPT N1** grammar. Test-takers should be able to: - recognize it in reading passages (especially formal or critical texts) - understand its role as a pre-noun modifier meaning “should not” - identify common collocations with 許す(ゆるす) and ある It often appears in sentence-ordering or grammar-choice questions, where its fixed, formal nature can be a deciding factor. ## Practice questions for まじき
1 Describe a behaviour that is unacceptable for a doctor, using まじき. role-based
2 Rewrite the sentence “教師(きょうし)はそんなことを言う(ゆう)べきではない” with まじき, keeping the meaning. transformation
3 Why is まるっきり wrong here? → 甘あまいものを食たべるまじき。 error check
## Learning path for まじき To internalise **まじき**, follow this path:
1 Memorise the fixed forms: 許す(ゆるす)まじき and あるまじき. Use these as templates.
2 Contrast まじき with べきではない and てはいけない; note the formal, accusatory nuance.
3 Write three original sentences about role violations (politician, teacher, parent) using まじき.
4 Review alongside related N1 patterns like those below to see how they differ in register and usage.
## Related grammar to review next - [まくる](/blog/n1-makuru/) — because you’ll often see a まくる action described as 許す(ゆるす)まじき when overdone. - [まみれ](/blog/n1-mamire/) — both attach to stems and create vivid, literary images. - [も同然(どうぜん)だ](/blog/n1-mo-douzen-da/) — also makes a strong statement about something being equivalent; contrasts with moral condemnation. - [までだ／までのことだ](/blog/n1-made-da-made-no-koto-da/) — another N1 pattern that conveys “only/merely” or a last resort, opposite in tone to the gravity of まじき. ## Learn まじき with Hane If you want to review **まじき** together with these related patterns, Hane helps you practise Japanese in short, focused sessions. Browse more lessons here: - [All grammar lessons](/blog/) - [JLPT N1 grammar lessons](/blog/n1/)