Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 避けられない | sakerarenai |
| 不可避の | fukahi no |
In Japanese, several terms can express the concept of being impossible to avoid or prevent. 避けられない is a common way to describe something that cannot be escaped, while 不可避の and 必然的 serve more formal or technical purposes. For expressing a sense of resignation or the feeling that a situation is beyond one's control, informal phrases like 仕方ない or どうしようもない are often used.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 不可避の is composed of the prefix 不 (fu, meaning 'un-'), 可 (ka, meaning 'possible') and 避 (hi, meaning 'avoid'), literally meaning 'unavoidable'.
Which one should you use?
While both 避けられない and 不可避の mean inevitable, 不可避の is a more formal, academic or technical term frequently found in literature or news reports. In contrast, 避けられない is much more common in everyday speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because 避けられない is a verb in its dictionary form, it can function as an adjective modifying a noun directly, such as in 避けられないミス (an inevitable mistake). Because 不可避の ends with the particle の, it must be followed by a noun to modify it, such as in 不可避の結末 (an inevitable conclusion).
How do you pronounce it?
sakerarenai
Did you know?
- The phrase どうしようもない (dou shiyou mo nai) literally means 'there is no way to do it'. It is frequently used to describe an inevitable personality flaw in a person rather than just an event.
- While 避けられない describes a fact, the phrase 仕方ない (shikatanai) describes a mindset. It reflects a cultural philosophy of accepting the inevitable with grace rather than fighting a lost cause.
- In Japanese, the word for 'inevitable' 避けられない is actually a conjugated form of the verb 避ける, meaning 'to avoid'.
Examples in context
- 事故は避けられないものだ。Accidents are inevitable.This sentence shows how to use 避けられない to describe accidents.Tatoeba #150817 by bunbuku, translation #263740 by CK
- 実際のところ、倒産は避けられない。As a matter of fact, bankruptcy is inevitable.This sentence uses 避けられない to describe the inevitability of bankruptcy.Tatoeba #149315 by bunbuku, translation #265243 by CM
- 外相は、戦争は避けられないと言った。The Foreign Minister said that war was inevitable.This sentence demonstrates a formal statement using 避けられない regarding the inevitability of war.Tatoeba #184720 by KK_kaku_, translation #21848 by shekitten
- 科学の進歩によって、太陽がいずれ死ぬことは必然的です。Due to the progress of science, the death of the sun is inevitable.
- 人間関係でのトラブルは避けられない。Troubles in human relationships are inevitable.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing an upcoming change in their office structure.
- 結衣 Yui組織の変更は避けられないのでしょうか。Soshiki no henkou wa sakerarenai no deshou ka.Is the organizational change inevitable?
- 蓮 Renはい、避けられないことだと思います。Hai, sakerarenai koto da to omoimasu.Yes, I think it is unavoidable.
- 結衣 Yui蓮さんは、どう感じていますか？Ren-san wa, dou kanjite imasu ka?Ren, how do you feel about it?
- 蓮 Ren少し不安ですが、受け入れるしかないです。Sukoshi fuan desu ga, ukeireru shika nai desu.I am a little anxious, but we have no choice but to accept it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “inevitable” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
