JAPANESE STUDY SYSTEMKOTOWA 词和
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SILVER ERA · ことばを、少しずつ。
JLPT BANDN5 BEGINNER → N1 ADVANCED

〜そうにない / 〜そうもない

N3
sou ni nai / sou mo nai

unlikely to; doesn't look like it will

Formation

Verb-stem + そうにない / そうもない

Chinese meanings

看来不会;不太可能

Chinese formation

动词ます形去ます+そうにない/そうもない

Chinese usage

根据眼前情况判断某事似乎不会发生。

Chinese notes

形容词的否定外观常用なさそうだ。

Examples

  • この雨あめは、夕ゆう方がたまでやみそうにない。
    This rain doesn't look like it will stop before evening.
    这场雨看起来到傍晚也不会停。
  • 仕し事ごとが多おおすぎて、今日中きょうじゅうには終おわりそうもない。
    I have way too much work; it doesn't look like I'll finish today.
    工作太多,今天之内看来做不完。
  • こんなにたくさんの料りょう理り、二ふた人りでは食たべきれそうにないね。
    It doesn't look like the two of us will be able to finish all this food.
    这么多菜,两个人看来吃不完啊。

Notes

Negative of the appearance 〜そうだ with verbs, based on what the speaker observes. More emphatic: 〜そうにもない. With adjectives use 〜なさそうだ instead.

#conjecture#negation#possibility

Related N3 grammar

Suggest an improvement

Use this entry in code
import { getGrammarById } from 'kotowa';
getGrammarById('sou-ni-nai-sou-mo-nai');
{
  "id": "sou-ni-nai-sou-mo-nai",
  "pattern": "〜そうにない / 〜そうもない",
  "romaji": "sou ni nai / sou mo nai",
  "level": "N3",
  "meaning": "unlikely to; doesn't look like it will",
  "formation": "Verb-stem + そうにない / そうもない",
  "examples": [
    {
      "ja": "この雨は、夕方までやみそうにない。",
      "furigana": "この{雨|あめ}は、{夕方|ゆうがた}までやみそうにない。",
      "en": "This rain doesn't look like it will stop before evening."
    },
    {
      "ja": "仕事が多すぎて、今日中には終わりそうもない。",
      "furigana": "{仕事|しごと}が{多|おお}すぎて、{今日中|きょうじゅう}には{終|お}わりそうもない。",
      "en": "I have way too much work; it doesn't look like I'll finish today."
    },
    {
      "ja": "こんなにたくさんの料理、二人では食べきれそうにないね。",
      "furigana": "こんなにたくさんの{料理|りょうり}、{二人|ふたり}では{食|た}べきれそうにないね。",
      "en": "It doesn't look like the two of us will be able to finish all this food."
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "conjecture",
    "negation",
    "possibility"
  ],
  "notes": "Negative of the appearance 〜そうだ with verbs, based on what the speaker observes. More emphatic: 〜そうにもない. With adjectives use 〜なさそうだ instead.",
  "zh": {
    "status": "reviewed",
    "source_hash": "41e78d3b62fdc90ed8ce36ac6760cb6b260b51752ebdcb6d92197f9f7d929d2c",
    "meanings": [
      "看来不会",
      "不太可能"
    ],
    "formation": "动词ます形去ます+そうにない/そうもない",
    "explanation": "根据眼前情况判断某事似乎不会发生。",
    "notes": "形容词的否定外观常用なさそうだ。",
    "examples": [
      {
        "ja": "この雨は、夕方までやみそうにない。",
        "zh": "这场雨看起来到傍晚也不会停。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "仕事が多すぎて、今日中には終わりそうもない。",
        "zh": "工作太多,今天之内看来做不完。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "こんなにたくさんの料理、二人では食べきれそうにないね。",
        "zh": "这么多菜,两个人看来吃不完啊。"
      }
    ],
    "references": [
      "sources/grammar/n3.json#sou-ni-nai-sou-mo-nai",
      "Original Chinese authored and reviewed by Codex; no independent human review"
    ],
    "reviewer": "Codex",
    "review_method": "ai",
    "reviewed_at": "2026-10-28",
    "review_hash": "68b4cb486c9ebefb7156a923ee85578d567a2fa7e3fd17f06d58d37f11e1c315"
  }
}