〜がたい
N2gatai
hard to; almost impossible to (emotionally)
Formation
Verb-stem + がたい
Chinese meanings
难以;无法
Chinese formation
动词ます形去ます+がたい
Chinese usage
表示心理或感情上难以做到。
Chinese notes
常与相信、理解、原谅等动词搭配。
Examples
- あの誠実な人が不正をしたとは、信じがたい。It's hard to believe that such an honest person committed fraud.那个诚实的人竟然作假,难以置信。
- 彼の失礼な態度は、どうにも許しがたい。His rude attitude is simply unforgivable.他无礼的态度实在难以原谅。
- 生まれ育った町は、やはり離れがたいものだ。The town you grew up in is, after all, hard to leave.自己生长的城镇果然令人难以离开。
Notes
Used with verbs of thinking and feeling (信じる, 理解する, 許す, 離れる). Unlike 〜にくい, not for physical difficulty (×この肉は食べがたい).
#possibility#emotion#written
Related N2 grammar
Use this entry in code
import { getGrammarById } from 'kotowa';
getGrammarById('gatai');
{
"id": "gatai",
"pattern": "〜がたい",
"romaji": "gatai",
"level": "N2",
"meaning": "hard to; almost impossible to (emotionally)",
"formation": "Verb-stem + がたい",
"examples": [
{
"ja": "あの誠実な人が不正をしたとは、信じがたい。",
"furigana": "あの{誠実|せいじつ}な{人|ひと}が{不正|ふせい}をしたとは、{信|しん}じがたい。",
"en": "It's hard to believe that such an honest person committed fraud."
},
{
"ja": "彼の失礼な態度は、どうにも許しがたい。",
"furigana": "{彼|かれ}の{失礼|しつれい}な{態度|たいど}は、どうにも{許|ゆる}しがたい。",
"en": "His rude attitude is simply unforgivable."
},
{
"ja": "生まれ育った町は、やはり離れがたいものだ。",
"furigana": "{生|う}まれ{育|そだ}った{町|まち}は、やはり{離|はな}れがたいものだ。",
"en": "The town you grew up in is, after all, hard to leave."
}
],
"tags": [
"possibility",
"emotion",
"written"
],
"notes": "Used with verbs of thinking and feeling (信じる, 理解する, 許す, 離れる). Unlike 〜にくい, not for physical difficulty (×この肉は食べがたい).",
"zh": {
"status": "reviewed",
"source_hash": "9798bf035cce759903656fa5a2feab4d3d3b904963681354765158d9a7da8fed",
"meanings": [
"难以",
"无法"
],
"formation": "动词ます形去ます+がたい",
"explanation": "表示心理或感情上难以做到。",
"notes": "常与相信、理解、原谅等动词搭配。",
"examples": [
{
"ja": "あの誠実な人が不正をしたとは、信じがたい。",
"zh": "那个诚实的人竟然作假,难以置信。"
},
{
"ja": "彼の失礼な態度は、どうにも許しがたい。",
"zh": "他无礼的态度实在难以原谅。"
},
{
"ja": "生まれ育った町は、やはり離れがたいものだ。",
"zh": "自己生长的城镇果然令人难以离开。"
}
],
"references": [
"sources/grammar/n2.json#gatai",
"Original Chinese authored and reviewed by Codex; no independent human review"
],
"reviewer": "Codex",
"review_method": "ai",
"reviewed_at": "2026-10-28",
"review_hash": "3931b55489f45e9b8f8fbca149d32c6d7ffae43f080e7d3ad021ac6db13ab31a"
}
}