In Japanese, the particle "ず" (zu) is used to indicate the absence of something or the negation of an action. It is typically used in classical or formal contexts and can sometimes be seen in older texts or more formal written Japanese. It often appears in the form "〜ず" or "〜ずに" to mean "without" or "not doing [something]."
Here are a few examples:
Negating an Action:
行かずに待つ
(Ikazu ni matsu)
"Wait without going."
Here, "行かず" (ikazu) means "without going."
Classical Usage:
知りもせず
(Shiri mo sezu)
"Without knowing."
In this example, "知りもせず" (shiri mo sezu) translates to "without knowing."
In modern Japanese, you might more commonly see the concept of "without" expressed with phrases like "〜ないで" (〜naide) or "〜ずに" (〜zu ni) in everyday conversation.