て敵わない
🃏 Flashcard
て敵わない
te kanawanai
Tap to reveal usage
can't bear to; unable to; troublesome to
N1
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N1
Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms
Reading
te kanawanai
Post ID
51374
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
can't bear to; unable to; troublesome to
📖 How to use it
Expresses that something is unbearable, overwhelming, or too much to handle, often with emotional or physical discomfort.
Attaches to
Attach to the て-form of a verb or い-adjective (e.g., 暑くて). The pattern is て + 敵わない. For な-adjectives and nouns, use で + 敵わない (e.g., 静かで敵わない).
This pattern conveys a strong sense of being unable to endure or cope with something. It often appears in exclamatory sentences expressing annoyance, discomfort, or emotional overwhelm. The literal meaning is 'cannot rival' or 'cannot match,' but in practice it means 'can't bear' or 'troublesome.' It is quite strong and emotional, so it's used in casual or semi-formal speech, often with a sigh or complaint.
この暑さで敵わないね。
Kono atsusa de kanawanai ne.
This heat is unbearable, isn't it?
彼の話は長くて敵わない。
Kare no hanashi wa nagakute kanawanai.
His stories are so long I can't stand them.
隣の騒音には本当に敵わない。
Tonari no sōon ni wa hontō ni kanawanai.
The noise from next door is really too much to bear.
Not てたまらない
てたまらない expresses a strong desire or feeling that is uncontrollable (e.g., 会いたくてたまらない 'I can't help wanting to see you'), while て敵わない focuses on something being troublesome or unbearable due to an external stimulus or situation.
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This is a colloquial expression used in spoken Japanese, often in informal complaints, and is not suitable for formal writing.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
て敵わない
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat て敵わない three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using て敵わない. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N1 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern て敵わない mean?
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Can't bear to; unable to; troublesome to
What JLPT level is て敵わない?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use て敵わない in a sentence?
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Attach て敵わない (te kanawanai) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is て敵わない formal or casual Japanese?
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て敵わない is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember て敵わない long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.