without; if there were no

なくして means that without one thing, another would be impossible. Attach it to a noun, often followed by は. It is formal and emphasizes that the first is an essential precondition for the second.

Examples

• 努力どりょくなくして成功せいこうはない。

  Doryoku nakushite seikou wa nai.

  Without effort, there is no success.

• 皆みなの協力きょうりょくなくしては、この計画けいかくは実現じつげんできなかった。

  Minna no kyouryoku nakushite wa, kono keikaku wa jitsugen dekinakatta.

  Without everyone's cooperation, this plan could not have been realized.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 努力 effort
• する to do
• 成功 success
• 皆 everyone, all
• 協力 cooperation
• この this (+ noun)

Related patterns · Condition and dependency

• 〜いかんで depending on
• 〜いかんにかかわらず regardless of
• 〜あっての made possible only by; thanks to
• 〜とあれば if it is the case that; if (for the sake of)
• 〜ばこそ precisely because