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Grammar detail: わけにはいかない

わけにはいかない  can't very well do
144 words
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Although this expression can be rather subtle, it can be very useful, along with its counterpart 〜ないわけにはいかない.
Adding 'わけにはいかない' to a plain form sentence has the meaning 'can't very well ~'. This phrase actually means what you would expect from a literal translation, which would be something like 'with that reason, it (just) won't go'. This is a surprisingly useful phrase, as it's a way to express a halfway house between '(physically) cannot do' (できない) and 'will not do'. Here's an example:
ばくはつ
爆発
あったばかり
ばしょ
場所
だから
おくさま
奥様
かせる
わけにはいかない
There been an explosion at that place only recently, so we can't possibly allow your wife to go there.
このまま
なっとく
納得
する
わけにはいかない
I can't very well be satisfied with the way things are.
たい
こんなに
よわ
っている
じょうたい
状態
れんしゅう
練習
する
わけにはいかない
She can't practice when her body is in such a weak condition.
Perhaps because it's so useful, this phrase comes in a variety of politeness levels, from the standard plain form version above, right up to the hyper-polite わけにはまいりません. A great example is いただくわけにはまいりません, which is a hyper-polite form of もらうわけにはいかない - a very Japanese phrase you might use when somebody offers you something, meaning 'I can't very well receive (that)'.
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Kanji used in this grammar

バク    explosion   
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ハツ   ホツ    emission, discharge   
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ジョウ   ば place   
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ショ   ところ place   
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オウ   おく core, inner recess   
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ヨウ   さま Mr / Mrs   
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コウ   ギョウ   アン   ゆ    い to go   おこな to take place   
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ノウ   ナッ   ナ   ナン   トウ payment, settlement   おさめる to supply   おさまる to be installed   
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トク    profit   え    う to acquire   
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タイ   テイ   からだ body   
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ジャク   よわ weak   よわ to weaken, to be troubled   よわまる to weaken, to abate   よわめる to weaken, to break the force of   
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ジョウ    condition, circumstances   
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タイ    condition, appearance   
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レン   ね to polish up, knead, train   
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シュウ   なら to learn   
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