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〜かいもなく

despite (all the effort), in vain

Verb た-form / Noun + の + かいもなく

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かいもなく says an effort failed to pay off: 努力のかいもなく、試験に落ちた, "despite all my efforts, I failed the exam".

It's the negative of かいがある (N2), "it's worth it, it paid off". かい (甲斐) means "the worth or reward of an effort". The first half is an effort (studying, treatment, cheering, persuading), and the second half is a disappointing result.

It's a sad, sympathetic expression, often used in reports of illness and defeat: 懸命な治療のかいもなく、彼は亡くなった, "despite every effort to treat him, he passed away".

Compare おかげで, "thanks to", which is the grateful opposite.

Examples

  • 努力どりょくのかいもなく、試験しけんに落おちた。

    Despite all my efforts, I failed the exam.

  • 懸命けんめいな治療ちりょうのかいもなく、彼かれは亡なくなった。

    Despite every effort to treat him, he passed away.

  • 必死ひっしに応援おうえんしたかいもなく、チームは負まけた。

    Despite our desperate cheering, the team lost.

  • 毎日練習まいにちれんしゅうしたかいもなく、一回戦いっかいせんで敗退はいたいした。

    All that daily practice was for nothing. We went out in the first round.

  • 何度なんども説得せっとくしたかいもなく、彼かれは会社かいしゃを辞やめた。

    Despite all my attempts to persuade him, he quit the company.

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