Verb ない-stem + んとする

[About to; on the verge of; try to]

Connection: Verb ない-stem + んとする; する → せんとする

Usage: A literary expression with two main meanings. (1) About to / on the verge of: describes a moment just before something happens. (2) Attempt to / try to: describes making an effort to do something. Very formal and literary, often found in novels and formal writing.

Examples:

太陽が沈まんとする頃、空は赤く染まった。(Around the time the sun was about to set, the sky turned red.)

彼は何か言わんとしたが、結局黙ってしまった。(He was about to say something but ended up staying silent.)

新しい時代を切り開かんとする若者たちの姿に感動した。(I was moved by the sight of young people trying to open up a new era.)