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（よ）うとしない

（よ）うとしないyou to shinaineutral

savor + let's + won't do

ajiwaou to shinai

won't do; refuses to even try — blamed on someone's will

meaning: won't savor

Related

  • 味あじわう
  • 〜（よ）うとしない
  • 味あじわおうとしない

うちの子こ、野菜やさいを味あじわおうとしないんだよね。

uchi no ko, yasai o ajiwaou to shinai n da yo ne.

Our kid just won't savor vegetables. casual

何度なんど説明せつめいしても、彼かれは自分じぶんの非ひを認みとめようとしなかった。

nando setsumei shite mo, kare wa jibun no hi o mitomeyou to shinakatta.

However often I explained, he would not admit he was in the wrong. neutral

All examples5

won't do; refuses to do — watching someone decline to even try

  1. うちの子こ、野菜やさいを食たべようとしないんだよね。

    uchi no ko, yasai o tabeyou to shinai n da yo ne.

    Our kid just won't eat vegetables. casual

  2. 何度なんど説明せつめいしても、彼かれは自分じぶんの非ひを認みとめようとしなかった。

    nando setsumei shite mo, kare wa jibun no hi o mitomeyou to shinakatta.

    However often I explained, he would not admit he was in the wrong. neutral

  3. 息子むすこは最近さいきん、部屋へやから出でようとしません。

    musuko wa saikin, heya kara deyou to shimasen.

    Lately my son won't come out of his room. neutral

  4. 彼かれは僕ぼくの話はなしを聞きこうともしなかった。

    kare wa boku no hanashi o kikou to mo shinakatta.

    He wouldn't so much as listen to me. neutral

  5. 再三さいさんお願ねがいしておりますが、先方せんぽうは交渉こうしょうに応おうじようとしません。

    saisan onegai shite orimasu ga, senpou wa koushou ni oujiyou to shimasen.

    We have asked repeatedly, but the other party will not come to the table. formal

How it's formed1

All forms4

  • （よ）うとはしない(yo)utohashinaialternant

    味あじわおうとはしない

    は sets the refusal against everything else you did do — 聞きこうとはしなかった says he was there, busy, but wouldn't listen.

  • （よ）うともしない(yo)utomoshinaialternant

    味あじわおうともしない

    と＋も piles on the reproach — 見みようともしない "wouldn't so much as look".

  • past（よ）うとしなかった(yo)utoshinakatta

    味あじわおうとしなかった

  • polite（よ）うとしません(yo)utoshimasen

    味あじわおうとしません

Notes

The 〜おう／〜よう form is よう after ichidan/irregular, 〜おう after godan
(食たべようとしない, 行いこうとしない). Almost always about someone else; of
yourself it's 〜たくない instead.