JLPT N1 grammar

〜に堪える／に堪えないmeaning and usage

Meaning

  1. Can't do A; can't stand/tolerate A
  2. Can tolerate/withstand A, A is worth doing
  3. Emphasizes/strengthens A (emotional term)

How to form it

  • verb (dictionary form)に堪えない
  • nounに堪えない
  • verb (dictionary form)/nounに堪える

How it is used

Formal. 「見るに／聞くに堪えない」: too bad to watch or listen to. 「感謝／感激に堪えない」: deeply grateful or moved. The positive 「〜に堪える」 means 'worth A', as in 「鑑賞に堪える」.

Examples

  1. 戦争の話はとても悲惨で聞くに耐えない。

    Stories of war are really tragic and I can't bear to listen to them.

  2. 長年お世話になった先生には、感謝の念に堪えません。

    I am more grateful than I can say to the teacher who has looked after me for so many years.

  3. 学生の作品だが、十分に鑑賞に堪える出来だ。

    It may be a student's work, but it's well worth looking at.