に堪(た)えないCannot bear to, Cannot stand to, Too much to, Cannot go on doing, Cannot tolerate

に堪(た)えない is a construction that will translate as ‘to not be able to bear (A)’, or ‘to not be able to tolerate (A)’. It is a mix of the case-marking particle に, and the negative form of the る-Verb 堪(た)える ‘to tolerate’, 堪(た)えない.

In this meaning, に堪(た)えない will be used following verbs. This is in contrast to the に堪(た)えない grammar point that follows nouns, and means ‘to be very (A)’, but is more literally ‘to be so (A) I can’t stand it’.

• あの映画(えいが)に出(で)ている役者(やくしゃ)さんみんなが大根(だいこん)役者(やくしゃ)だったので、見(み)るに堪(た)えなかったです。

  Since all the actors that were in that movie were bad actors, I couldn’t bear to watch it.
• 田中(たなか)さんの話(はなし)はいつも人(ひと)の悪口(わるぐち)ばかり言(い)っているので、聞(き)くに堪(た)えない。

  I can’t tolerate listening to Tanaka-san because he is always talking ill about others.
• この本(ほん)には過激(かげき)な表現(ひょうげん)がありすぎるので、読(よ)むに堪(た)えない。

  There are too many graphic expressions in this book that I can’t bear to read it.

Although 堪(た)える will be used more often than other kanji that have the same reading and similar meanings, this is not always the case. Occasionally 耐(た)える ‘to withstand’ will be used when the emphasis is on the ability to endure (A), while 絶(た)える ‘to discontinue’, or ‘to peter out’ will be used when the emphasis is on not being able to suppress (A). For 絶(た)える, this is especially used in the case of strong feelings.

• 仕事(しごと)の環境(かんきょう)がひどすぎて続(つづ)けるに耐(た)えない。

  The working conditions are so bad that I cannot bear to continue.
• お客(きゃく)さんの所有物(しょゆうぶつ)を壊(こわ)してお客(きゃく)さんをだますなんて怒(いか)りに絶(た)えない。

  I am extremely outraged that they destroyed their customers’ property and lied to them.

Caution

The affirmative form of に堪(た)える may also be used to express that something is ‘worth doing’. A closer interpretation of this would be similar to an English phrase like ‘to be passable for (A)’. Rather than meaning that something is particularly suitable, it just highlights that it also acceptably falls in the category of (A), despite not being intended for it, or perhaps not expected.

• この漫画(まんが)は内容(ないよう)がとてもよく、大人(おとな)でも読(よ)むに堪(た)える。

  This manga is worth reading, even for an adult, because it is well written.
• やっと公開(こうかい)するに堪(た)える音楽(おんがく)ができました！

  I have finally made a song that is worth publishing!