Prohibition (Must Not / Should Not)
5 related grammar points that express the same core idea - compared below so you can tell which one to reach for.
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- ~てはいけない JLPT N4
- ~てはならない JLPT N2
- ~べきではない JLPT N2
- ~ものではない JLPT N2
- Verbる べからざる Noun JLPT N1
てはいけない / てはならない / べきではない
Writing a rule, a warning notice, or a legal provision.
~てはならない vs ~てはいけない: Use てはならない. It is the formal, written prohibition and carries the weight of a rule that stands independently of who is speaking. てはいけない is the everyday one, used to children and in day-to-day instructions, and looks slight on a sign.
Saying something is wrong to do, without claiming it is forbidden.
~べきではない vs ~てはならない: Use べきではない. It is a judgement about what is proper, so it fits opinion and argument. てはならない states a prohibition that someone has the authority to impose, which is a claim you often cannot actually make.