甲斐もなく【かいもなく】

甲斐もなく (かいもなく) expresses that despite someone's efforts or actions, the desired result was not achieved. It conveys a sense of futility or disappointment – "despite (doing something)" or "in spite of all one's efforts." The word かい甲斐 (かい) means "worth" or "value," so the literal sense is "without even the worth of ~," i.e., the effort was in vain.

Basic Usage

甲斐もなく typically attaches to a verb (often in past or continuous form) or a noun describing an effort or action, and the result clause describes an unfortunate or undesirable outcome.

Comparison with 甲斐がある / 甲斐がない

While 甲斐もなく focuses on the result being in vain, the related expressions かいがある甲斐がある ("it's worth doing") and かいがない甲斐がない ("it's not worth doing") describe the value or lack of value in an action more generally. 甲斐もなく is specifically used when narrating a concrete outcome that made the effort pointless.

Nuance

This expression carries a literary or formal tone and is commonly found in written narratives, news reports, and emotional recollections. It emphasizes the speaker's regret or sadness that the effort did not bear fruit. The particle も adds emphasis – it wasn't just that the effort lacked value; it didn't have even any value.