思うようにならず - what does it mean?


A definition of 辛気臭い【しんきくさい】 (三省堂）：

> 思うようにならず、いらいらするさま。また、気がめいるさま

Nara often implies something happening naturally, zu stands for 'without', so
does the whole compound adverb stand for 'subconsciously'? 'without thinking'?




> Nara often implies something happening naturally, zu stands for 'without',
> so does the whole compound adverb stand for 'subconsciously'? 'without
> thinking'?

No. First of all, Nara is 動詞{どうし}, a verb. But you are correct in that this
indicates "something happening naturally", since we call this なる,
無意識動詞{むいしきどうし}, literally _a verb without consciousness_.

Second, zu **does not** denote "without", but, to quote
[this](https://web.archive.org/web/20190302111452/http://www.geocities.jp/nm3032nakatsu/koten/kt04.html)
source:

> **ず ①～ない （打ち消し）** ( around the middle of the linked page )

but denotes **denial** (which is an auxiliary). In this phrase, it denies the
above verb "naru/なる”.

### Grammar Breakdown

思うようにならない。 ＝思う(連体形{れんたいけい}), in English _to think_ + よう（様）に an auxiliary,
連用形{れんようけい}, in English _as I expect_ + なら the verb, 連用形, in English ( _to
become_ ) + ない。the auxiliary, 終止形{しゅうしけい}, in English, _denying the former
verb/auxiliary/adjective verb, etc_.

So the whole meaning is " **Not having gone as I had expected** ".

