だに + しない
Not even, Not at all, Never could have
Structure
Exceptions:
夢 + （に）+ だに + 思わない
Explanation
The adverbial particle だに is a literary equivalent of さえ or すら, meaning 'even'. Typically used with a negative verb, it highlights the most minimal action or condition (A) that is not met, thereby implying that anything greater (B) is also impossible. It translates to phrases like 'not even (A), let alone (B)', or 'not in the slightest'.
In terms of grammar, だに attaches to the end of nouns or noun-equivalent phrases.
- あの強豪チームが一回戦で負けるとは、誰も予想だにしなかった。No one would have ever predicted that the powerhouse team would lose in the first round.
- まさか親友に裏切られるとは夢だに思わなかった。I never even dreamed that my best friend would betray me.
- 自分が海外で暮らすことになるとは、十年前には想像だにしなかった。Ten years ago, I couldn't have even imagined that I would end up living abroad.
While だに is most often paired with a negative predicate, it isn't restricted to such uses. In the rare cases where it follows a verb in an affirmative sentence, だに takes on the meaning of 'just' or 'simply'. It is helpful to remember that the core function of this adverbial particle is always to define what comes before it as the absolute minimum degree.
Caution
In contemporary Japanese, だに is almost exclusively found in a small number of set phrases. Some of these include 夢にだに 'not even in a dream', 想像だに 'even just imagining', 一顧だに 'not even a single glance', 聞くだに 'even hearing about it', 微動だに 'not even the slightest movement'.
Examples
衛兵は女王を守るため、瞬きもせず、微動だにしなかった。
To protect the queen, the guard stood without even blinking or moving a muscle.
まさか自分が社長になる日が来るとは、若い頃は想像だにしませんでした。
I never even imagined in my youth that the day would come when I would become the company president.
いつも無口な彼が、突然プロポーズしてきたのは、全く予想だにしなかった展開だった。
It was a completely unexpected turn of events when my always-quiet boyfriend suddenly proposed.
歴史の授業：「あの貧しい農民の少年が、将来この国を統一する将軍になるとは、夢にだに思わなかっただろう。」
History Class: 'No one could have even dreamed that the boy from a poor farming family would one day become the shogun who would unify this country.'
彼は社長の決定に不満だったが、反論だにしなかった。
Although he was dissatisfied with the president's decision, he did not even offer a counterargument.
小説：「医者の忠告を一顧だにせず、彼はタバコを吸い続けた。」
Novel: 'Without even giving the doctor's warning a second thought, he continued to smoke.'
私がどれだけ傷つくか、彼は微塵も考慮だにしなかっただろう。
He probably did not even consider in the slightest how much I would be hurt.
一流の暗殺者は、獲物に近づいてもその気配だに感じさせない。
A top-class assassin does not even let their prey sense their presence, even when approaching them.
一番の親友が自分を裏切るなんて、疑いだにしなかった。
I never even suspected that my best friend would betray me.
まさかあの穏やかな川が氾濫して町を飲み込むとは、住民は想像だにしていなかった。
The residents couldn't have even imagined that the calm river would flood and swallow the town.
弱小チームが王者に勝つという結末は、誰も予想だにしなかった。
An outcome where the underdog team beat the champions was something that no one could have even predicted.
科学者の回想：「この発見が人類の未来を変えるなど、研究当初は夢想だにしませんでした。」
Scientist's memoir: 'Back when I started this research, I didn't even dream that this discovery would change the future of humanity.'