～わけにはいかない: "I'm not going to that わけ!"

Introduction

Another 「わけ」 lesson? Yep! Your whacky friend わけ is back, and they've got a new usage or two to show you! I would tell you what they are right now but, そういうわけにはいかない.......

～わけにはいかない: "I couldn't possibly (わけ)!"

構成こうせい

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  Casual form verbわけにはいかない
  Example:
  → 税金ぜいきんを払はらわないわけにはいかない。
  "I can't afford not to pay my taxes.”

There are many ways to say that one "can't do X" in Japanese, but perhaps none are as interesting as the ～わけにはいかない construction.

Formed of 「わけ」 ("reason", but also "circumstance; situation"), the compound particle には, and 「いかない」 ("won't go"), ～わけにはいかない translates most commonly to "I can't very well do X" or "I cannot help but to do X" if the preceding verb is negative.