“〜majiki”: Unbecoming, Inexcusable (a classical, severe negation) [JLPT N1]

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

「医師にあるまじき行為」 — the sternest way to condemn conduct that disgraces a role.

「教師にあるまじき行為だ」 — conduct one should never have, given one's position

To sternly condemn “conduct one should never have, given one's position,” 「それは教師にあるまじき行為だ」 (that is conduct unbecoming of a teacher) — 「〜まじき」 = that should never be, unbecoming, the attributive of the classical auxiliary 「まじ,」 used to modify a noun for stern condemnation. This guide covers attachment (most often 「〜にあるまじき ＋ noun」), the classical feel, and separating it from the fellow-literary-negation 「べからず.」

Core: (given some status／position) something one should absolutely never have ～

「verb dictionary form ＋ まじき ＋ noun」 means “(given some status／position) something one should absolutely never have ～” — with a stern, weighty, condemning flavor:

• 公務員にあるまじき不正が発覚した (misconduct unbecoming of a civil servant came to light).
• 人としてあるまじき発言だ (that is a remark unbecoming of a human being).
• それは許すまじき暴挙だ (that is an unforgivable outrage).

Feel: 「まじき」 is the attributive of the classical auxiliary 「まじ」 (= べからず, してはならない), used to modify a noun, meaning “(as regards some status／position) something one should absolutely never have ～.” The commonest fixed pairing is 「〜にあるまじき ＋ noun」 (= something unbecoming of ～): 教師にあるまじき行為, 政治家にあるまじき発言. It's literary residue, for written, formal stern condemnation. It corresponds to “that should never be, that one should never do, unbecoming of ～.”

Attachment rules

See it in context

• 弱者を切り捨てるとは、政治家にあるまじき態度だ。(To cast off the weak is an attitude unbecoming of a politician.)
• それは、報道機関にあるまじき偏向報道だった。(That was biased reporting unbecoming of a news organization.)
• 部下を見殺しにするなど、上司としてあるまじき行いだ。(Leaving a subordinate to die is conduct unbecoming of a superior.)
• プロにあるまじき、ずさんな仕事ぶりだった。(It was sloppy work unbecoming of a professional.)
• 二度と繰り返すまじき過ちだ。(That is a mistake that must never be repeated.)

⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid

① The core is ‘(given some status／position) something one should never have ～,' most often 「〜にあるまじき ＋ noun.」 「〜まじき」's core is “(as regards some status, position, qualification) something one should absolutely never have ～,” with a stern, weighty, condemning flavor. Its commonest, most typical form is 「(status) ＋ にあるまじき ＋ noun」 — pointing out “(given that status,) to actually do such a should-never-have ～”: 教師にあるまじき行為 (conduct unbecoming of a teacher), 公人にあるまじき発言 (a remark unbecoming of a public figure), リーダーにあるまじき無責任さ (irresponsibility unbecoming of a leader). It's often for sternly condemning conduct that seriously mismatches someone's status／position. It corresponds to “that one should never have, unbecoming of ～.” Test: to sternly condemn “(given ～) something one should never have ～” → 〜にあるまじき.

② Attach a verb dictionary form ＋ まじき ＋ noun (「まじき」 is the attributive, followed by a noun). Get the attachment right. 「まじき」 is the attributive form (for modifying a noun), preceded by a verb dictionary form (ある→あるまじき, 許す→許すまじき), and always followed by a noun: あるまじき行為 (○) / あるまじき発言 (○). It can't stand as an ending (it needs a noun). The most-used is 「ある」's 「あるまじき」 (にあるまじき = unbecoming of ～). Mnemonic: (status) にあるまじき ＋ noun (a should-never-have ～)／verb dictionary form ＋ まじき ＋ noun.

③ Classical, written, stern condemnation (not used in speech); division of labor with 「べからず.」 「まじき」 carries a heavy classical, literary, weighty color, for written, formal stern condemnation, hardly used in everyday speech (speech would say 「〜としてやってはいけないこと」). It differs from the fellow-literary-negation 「べからず」: 「〜まじき」 = (given ～) something one should never have ～ (classical attributive, modifies a noun, most often 「にあるまじき,」 sternly condemning status-mismatched conduct): 教師にあるまじき行為. 「〜べからず／べからざる」 = must not ～／may not ～ (classical-literary prohibition, for notices, regulations, maxims; べからざる attributive, see 〈べからず〉): 立入るべからず (no entry — a notice), 許すべからざる罪 (an unforgivable crime). Difference: 「まじき」 is mostly for “(given some status) condemning something one should never have (conduct／remark／attitude)” (にあるまじき ＋ noun); 「べからず」 is mostly for “must not ～” notices, regulations (べからず as an ending) or “un-～-able” attributives (べからざる) (see 〈べからず〉). Test: to condemn “(given a status) actually doing something one should never have” → にあるまじき ＋ noun; to write “must not ～” on a notice／regulation → べからず (see 〈べからず〉).

🔄 Nuance & comparison: まじき／べからず／べきではない／あるまじき

💡 The one thing to remember

「〜まじき」 = that should never be, unbecoming (classical stern negation) — three points: ① the core is “(given some status／position) something one should never have ～,” most often 「〜にあるまじき ＋ noun」 (教師にあるまじき行為); ② attach a verb dictionary form ＋ まじき ＋ noun (「まじき」 is the attributive, followed by a noun, most often 「あるまじき」); ③ classical, written, stern condemnation (not used in speech); division of labor with 「べからず (classical prohibition／notice, see 〈べからず〉).」 This pattern carries a “weighty, indignant” weight, well suited to editorials and formal statements sternly condemning someone for “conduct seriously mismatched with their status” — 「政治家にあるまじき発言」 rings with condemnation. To weightily condemn “(given ～) something one should never have ～,” 「〜にあるまじき」 has the most weight.

❓ FAQ

Q: 「まじき」 and 「べからず」 are both classical negations — how do I tell them apart?

The difference is ‘use and form' — 「まじき」 modifies a noun, condemning status-mismatched conduct; 「べからず」 is a notice／regulation prohibition. 「〜まじき」 = (given ～) something one should never have ～ (classical attributive, modifies a noun, most often ‘にあるまじき,' stern condemnation): it's the attributive of the auxiliary 「まじ,」 always modifying a following noun, most commonly 「(status) ＋ にあるまじき ＋ noun,」 used to sternly condemn conduct that seriously mismatches someone's status／position: 教師にあるまじき行為 (conduct unbecoming of a teacher), 公人にあるまじき発言 (a remark unbecoming of a public figure), あるまじき失態 (a blunder one should never have). Its focus is the condemnation “(given a status,) to actually do such a should-never-have (conduct／remark),” followed by a noun (行為・発言・態度・失態). 「〜べからず／べからざる」 = must not ～／may not ～ (classical-literary prohibition, for notices／regulations／maxims): 「べからず」 is the negative of 「べし,」 used to express prohibition, mostly on signboards, regulations, slogans, maxims: 立入るべからず (no entry — a notice), 初心忘るるべからず (never forget your first resolve — a maxim), 許すべからざる罪 (an unforgivable crime — べからざる attributive) (see 〈べからず〉). Its focus is “prohibit (doing) ～, must not ～”; 「べからず」 can end a sentence (prohibition), 「べからざる」 modifies a noun attributively. Difference: 「まじき」 is for ‘condemning (given ～) conduct one should never have' (にあるまじき ＋ noun, indignant); 「べからず」 is for ‘prohibiting ～' (notices, regulations, maxims). Test: to condemn “(given a status) actually doing something one should never have” → にあるまじき ＋ noun; to write “must not ～” on a notice／regulation → べからず (see 〈べからず〉). Both are classical negations, but 「まじき」 leans “condemning status-mismatch,” 「べからず」 leans “prohibition notices.” (Incidentally, 「まじき」's 「まじ」 is same-root as the 「まい」 of 「ではあるまいし,」 both classical negative conjecture／volition.)

Q: Does 「まじき」 always attach to 「ある (あるまじき)」? Can it take other verbs?

It most often attaches to 「ある (あるまじき),」 but can take other verbs, just less commonly. 「まじき」 is the attributive of the auxiliary 「まじ,」 and in theory can take various verb dictionary forms, but in practice the vast majority use 「ある」's 「あるまじき」, forming the high-frequency fixed pairing 「〜にあるまじき ＋ noun」 (= unbecoming of ～): 教師にあるまじき行為, プロにあるまじきミス, 人としてあるまじき行い. This is because 「あるまじき」's meaning “that should (originally) never exist／be had” best suits condemning “(given a status,) conduct one should never have.” Besides 「ある,」 you occasionally see it with other verb dictionary forms, mostly fixed or semi-fixed expressions: 許すまじき (unforgivable: 許すまじき罪／暴挙), 繰り返すまじき (that must never be repeated: 繰り返すまじき過ち), 犯すまじき (that must never be committed). But these are less common, more literary; the most general and worth-remembering is 「〜にあるまじき ＋ noun.」 Test: to express “(given ～) something one should never have ～” → use the most fixed 「〜にあるまじき ＋ noun」 (教師にあるまじき行為); occasionally in weighty condemnation you'll see 「許すまじき／繰り返すまじき」 (that must never be ～), but that's more literary and rare. So remembering the core fixed pairing 「あるまじき (にあるまじき)」 is enough; other verbs' 「まじき」 is advanced, rare usage.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「医師___行為を許すわけにはいかない。」(An act unbecoming of a doctor cannot be allowed)

(A) にあるまじき　(B) にあるべきでない　(C) にあってはならない　(D) であるまじく

Q2. 「警察官___犯罪を犯すとは言語道断だ。」(For a police officer to commit a crime — unbecoming of one — is outrageous)

(A) にあるまじき　(B) であるべきでない　(C) としてはならない　(D) として

Q3. 「まじき」が表す意味は？

(A) 〜できる（可能）

(B) 〜すべきでない（強い道義的否定・古典体）

(C) 〜しそうだ（様態）

(D) 〜したい（希望）

Q4. 「まじき」の使い方として最も適切なのは？

(A) 友達に「それはまじき行為だよ」と言う。

(B) 論文の中で「〇〇にあるまじき行為」と書く。

(C) 日常会話で「まじき？」と問い返す。

(D) 否定文の最後に「まじき」をつける。

Q5. 「子供に対するそのような暴力は、大人___行為だ。」(Such violence against a child is an act unbecoming of an adult)

(A) にあるべきでない　(B) にあるまじき　(C) としてはならない　(D) として

Answer Explanations

1. (A) にあるまじき ──「医師にあるまじき行為」(an act unbecoming of a doctor) = まじき, the strongest / written moral negation, with the fixed pattern "status + にあるまじき + noun." (B)(C) are grammatically possible but are not the 「まじき」 this lesson is practicing.

2. (A) にあるまじき ── 「警察官にあるまじき犯罪」(a crime unbecoming of a police officer) = a typical use of まじき: status + にあるまじき + act.

3. (B) ── まじき = a strong classical moral negation, "ought not to / must not," a classical / written intensified version of 「べきでない」(shouldn't).

4. (B) ── まじき is written / classical language, best suited to papers and formal critical writing (e.g. 「〇〇にあるまじき行為」), not used in everyday speech.

5. (B) にあるまじき ── 「大人にあるまじき行為」(an act unbecoming of an adult) = a typical use of まじき.