～ざる

～ざる is the classical (literary) negative form of ず, used mainly in written, formal, or historical contexts. It appears in old-fashioned or literary Japanese and in fixed expressions. In modern everyday speech you don’t normally hear ～ざる on its own, but you will encounter it in phrases like 語らざるを得ない, 知らざるを得ない, or 隠せざるを得ない, where it combines with を得ない to express a strong obligation or inevitability: ‘have no choice but to ~’. The nuance is a more formal, sometimes solemn tone, and it often signals a quotation or narrative style. When seen, it’s typically in retired or literary registers rather than casual conversation.