“〜koto nashi ni 〜nai”: Without Doing 〜, You Can't 〜 [JLPT N1]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「努力することなしに成功はない」 — without something, a certain result can't be achieved.

「努力することなしに、成功はない」 — without the first, the second is impossible

To stress that something is indispensable, 「努力することなしに、成功はない」 (without making an effort, there is no success) — 「〜ことなしに〜ない」 = without doing ～, can't ～, used to express “lacking something, one can't achieve a result” — the first half is a necessary condition for the second. It's a written, formal expression. This guide covers attachment (verb dictionary form ＋ こと), the mandatory negative second half, and separating it from 「なくして／ないと」 by register.

Core: the first is a necessary condition for the second; without it, it can't be done

「verb dictionary form ＋ ことなしに〜ない」 means “without doing the first (A), one can't achieve the second (B)” — A is an indispensable premise for B:

• 人と関わることなしに、成長はできない (without engaging with people, one can't grow).
• 痛みを伴うことなしに、大きな変化は得られない (without accompanying pain, no major change can be gained).
• 過去と向き合うことなしに、前に進むことはできない (without facing the past, one can't move forward).

Feel: the core is “A is a necessary condition for B” — “if A isn't done, B is impossible.” It binds “not doing A” to “can't achieve B”: to want B, one must do A. The first half is “what must be had／done first,” and the second half is always negative (can't achieve, won't have). It carries a written, formal, somewhat literary gravity, common in argument, maxims, formal claims. It corresponds to “without ～, can't ～; without ～, there's no ～; only by ～ can ～.”

Attachment rules

Examples in context

• 失敗を経験することなしに、本当の成長はありえない。(Without experiencing failure, true growth is impossible.)
• 相手を理解しようとすることなしに、和解は望めない。(Without trying to understand the other, reconciliation can't be hoped for.)
• リスクを取ることなしに、大きな成果は手に入らない。(Without taking risks, no major result can be attained.)
• 基礎を固めることなしに、応用は身につかない。(Without solidifying the basics, application can't be mastered.)
• 誰かの支えなしには、ここまで来られなかった。(Without someone's support, I couldn't have come this far.)

⚠️ Easy traps to avoid

① The second half is always negative, expressing ‘without A, can't B' (A a necessary condition). This is 「ことなしに」's core usage limit. 「〜ことなしに〜ない」 is a paired “first half ＋ negative second half” structure — the first half is “(the must-do) A,” and the second is always negative (can't ～, won't ～, can't gain ～): 努力することなしに、成功はない (without effort, no success — second half 「ない」), 変わろうとすることなしに、状況は改善しない (without trying to change, the situation won't improve). It stresses “A is a necessary condition for B; without A, B can't be done.” So seeing 「ことなしに,」 a negative usually follows. It corresponds to “without ～, can't ～; without ～, there's no ～.” Test: to say “if some thing isn't done, a result can't be achieved” (first half necessary, second half negative) → ことなしに〜ない.

② Attach a verb dictionary form ＋ こと. Get the attachment right. Precedes a verb dictionary form plus 「こと」: 努力する→努力することなしに, 関わる→関わることなしに. It's the structure “(verb dictionary form) こと ＋ なしに,” with 「なしに」 = “without ～ing.” Mnemonic: (verb dictionary form) ことなしに〜ない = without doing ～, can't ～. (Note: there's also a “noun ＋ なしに” usage without 「こと,」 like 「許可なしに (without permission),」 but this lesson's 「ことなしに〜ない」 attaches to a verb and expresses a necessary condition.)

③ A written, formal register; division of labor with 「なくして／ないと.」 「ことなしに〜ない」 carries a written, formal, somewhat literary color, mostly for argument, maxims, formal claims, less used in everyday speech. Its divides from some near-synonyms: 「ことなしに〜ない」 = without doing ～, can't ～ (attaches to a verb dictionary form ＋ こと, written): 努力することなしに成功はない. 「なくして（は）〜ない」 = without ～, there's no ～ (attaches to a noun, written, see the なくして note in 〈あっての〉): 努力なくして成功はない. 「〜ないと〜ない」 = without ～, not ～ (colloquial): 努力しないと成功しない. All three express “A is a necessary condition for B,” differing in attachment and register: ことなしに attaches to a verb (written), なくして to a noun (written), ないと colloquial. Test: attach a verb, want written → ことなしに; attach a noun, want written → なくして; colloquial → ないと.

🔄 Compare: ことなしに〜ない／なくして〜ない／ないと〜ない／ずには〜ない

💡 The one thing to remember

「〜ことなしに〜ない」 = without ～, can't ～ (the first half a necessary condition for the second) — three points: ① the second half is always negative — “without doing A, can't achieve B,” A an indispensable premise for B (努力することなしに成功はない); ② attach a verb dictionary form ＋ こと; ③ a written, formal register, with a division of labor from 「なくして (attaches to a noun, see なくして in 〈あっての〉)／ないと (colloquial).」 This pattern has real “maxim, argument” weight — “without facing the past, one can't move forward,” “without taking risks, no result is gained” — said with 「〜ことなしに〜ない,」 it's weighty and persuasive. It's an elegant written way to say “must ～”; to stress in a formal essay or speech that something is indispensable, this and 〈あっての〉's 「なくして」 are both spot-on.

❓ Common questions

Q: Do 「努力することなしに成功はない」 and 「努力なくして成功はない」 mean the same?

Almost the same (both “without effort, no success”), the difference is only attachment. Both express “A is a necessary condition for B; without A, no B,” both leaning written and formal, interchangeable in most cases. The only difference is what precedes: 「〜ことなしに」 attaches to a ‘verb (dictionary form) ＋ こと': when the first half is an action, use “verb dictionary form ＋ ことなしに”: 努力することなしに (without ‘making an effort (the action)'), 人と関わることなしに (without ‘engaging with people (the action)'), 変わろうとすることなしに (without ‘trying to change'). 「〜なくして」 attaches to a ‘noun': when the first half is a noun, use “noun ＋ なくして”: 努力なくして (without ‘effort (the noun)'), 君の助けなくして (without ‘your help'), 犠牲なくして (without ‘sacrifice') (see the なくして note in 〈あっての〉). So 「努力することなしに (attaches to a verb)」 and 「努力なくして (attaches to a noun)」 mean the same, just one treating 「努力」 as an action (ことなしに), one as a noun (なくして). Test: to express the first half with an action verb → ことなしに (verb dictionary form ＋ こと); the first half is a noun → なくして (noun ＋ なくして). Both express “without ～, can't ～”; choose by whether your first half is a verb or a noun.

Q: Must a negative always follow 「ことなしに」? Is there a use without a negative?

For the “necessary condition (without ～, can't ～)” sense, a negative always follows; but 「ことなしに」 has another non-negative use — keep them straight. ① 「ことなしに〜ない」 (necessary condition, negative after): this is the most-tested use at N1, meaning “without doing A, can't achieve B,” the second half always negative: 努力することなしに、成功はない (without effort, no success), 痛みを知ることなしに、優しさは分からない (without knowing pain, one can't understand kindness). ② 「ことなしに〜(action)」 (do B without accompanying A, no negative after): this is 「ことなしに」's other use, meaning “in the state of not doing A (not accompanying A), did B,” the second half an affirmative action: 一度も立ち止まることなしに、走り続けた (without stopping even once, kept running — running ‘without stopping,' the second half ‘ran' affirmative), 誰にも気づかれることなしに、部屋を出た (left the room without being noticed by anyone). This use ≒ 「〜ないで／〜ずに (without ～ing),」 expressing “completing another action without accompanying some action.” Difference: use ① (negative after) = “without A, can't B” (A a necessary condition); use ② (affirmative action after) = “did B without accompanying A” (plain non-accompaniment). Test: a negative follows (〜ない・できない) → use ① “without ～, can't ～” (necessary condition); an affirmative action follows → use ② “doing ～ without ～” (non-accompaniment). In N1 exams and maxim-like claims, the most typical and common is use ① 「ことなしに〜ない (without ～, can't ～),」 so on meeting it, first read toward “necessary condition.”

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「人と関わる___、人間は生きていけない。」（without interacting with others, humans cannot live）

(A) ことなしに　(B) ばかりに　(C) どころか　(D) が早いか

Q2. 「ことなしに」の後件は?

(A) Negative (cannot / there is no)　(B) A command　(C) A question　(D) An exclamation

Q3. 「努力することなしに成功はない」の意味は?

(A) Without effort, success is impossible (effort is a necessary condition)

(B) Even with effort you won't succeed

(C) You can succeed without effort

(D) No effort needed

Q4. 「ことなしに」と「なくして」の違いは?

(A) ことなしに = without doing some action; なくして = without some thing

(B) The two are exactly the same

(C) ことなしに = having some thing

(D) なくして = doing some action

Q5. 接法が正しいのは?

(A) 変わることなしに進歩はない。　(B) 変わったことなしに。

(C) 変わってことなしに。　(D) 変わりことなしに。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) ことなしに ── Without interacting with others, one cannot live.

2. (A) Negative ── The following clause is usually negative.

3. (A) ── Without effort, success is impossible.

4. (A) ── ことなしに: an action; なくして: a thing.

5. (A) ── 「変わることなしに進歩はない」 is correct.