GRAMMAR DETAIL
はずがない
Strongly denies that something is possible based on the speaker's evidence.
Examples
鍵を掛けたので、誰も入れるはずがない。
I locked the door, so there is no way anyone can get in.
Words used
こんな重い箱を子ども一人で持てるはずがない。
There is no way a child can carry such a heavy box alone.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure:
はずがないstrongly judges that the preceding situation cannot hold in light of known evidence. - Basic usage:
こんな重い箱を子ども一人で持てるはずがない。uses the box's weight as grounds for strongly denying that a child could carry it alone.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Negation changes the expectation
来るはずがないjudges that there is no way the person will come, while来ないはずだexpects the person not to come. Both can point toward non-arrival, but strongly excluding a possibility differs from expecting a negative outcome.