JAPANESE STUDY SYSTEMKOTOWA 词和
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SILVER ERA · ことばを、少しずつ。
JLPT BANDN5 BEGINNER → N1 ADVANCED

〜かねない

N2
kanenai

could well; might (lead to something bad)

Formation

Verb-stem + かねない

Chinese meanings

很可能(发生坏事)

Chinese formation

动词ます形去ます+かねない

Chinese usage

表示存在发生不良结果的可能性。

Chinese notes

虽然含ない,但整个表达是肯定的风险判断。

Examples

  • そんな無む理りな運うん転てんをしていたら、大だい事じ故こを起おこしかねない。
    If you keep driving that recklessly, you could end up causing a serious accident.
    那样冒险开车,很可能引发重大事故。
  • 不ふ用よう意いな一ひと言ことが、会かい社しゃの信しん用ようを失うしなうことにつながりかねない。
    A careless remark could end up costing the company its credibility.
    一句不慎的话可能导致公司失去信誉。
  • あの人ひとなら、平へい気きでうそをつきかねない。
    He's just the kind of person who might lie without batting an eye.
    那个人的话,完全可能若无其事地撒谎。

Notes

Only for undesirable outcomes. Despite the ない, the meaning is positive: 'there's a real risk that ...'. Don't confuse with 〜かねる (cannot).

#possibility#conjecture

Related N2 grammar

Suggest an improvement

Use this entry in code
import { getGrammarById } from 'kotowa';
getGrammarById('kanenai');
{
  "id": "kanenai",
  "pattern": "〜かねない",
  "romaji": "kanenai",
  "level": "N2",
  "meaning": "could well; might (lead to something bad)",
  "formation": "Verb-stem + かねない",
  "examples": [
    {
      "ja": "そんな無理な運転をしていたら、大事故を起こしかねない。",
      "furigana": "そんな{無理|むり}な{運転|うんてん}をしていたら、{大|だい}{事故|じこ}を{起|お}こしかねない。",
      "en": "If you keep driving that recklessly, you could end up causing a serious accident."
    },
    {
      "ja": "不用意な一言が、会社の信用を失うことにつながりかねない。",
      "furigana": "{不用意|ふようい}な{一言|ひとこと}が、{会社|かいしゃ}の{信用|しんよう}を{失|うしな}うことにつながりかねない。",
      "en": "A careless remark could end up costing the company its credibility."
    },
    {
      "ja": "あの人なら、平気でうそをつきかねない。",
      "furigana": "あの{人|ひと}なら、{平気|へいき}でうそをつきかねない。",
      "en": "He's just the kind of person who might lie without batting an eye."
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "possibility",
    "conjecture"
  ],
  "notes": "Only for undesirable outcomes. Despite the ない, the meaning is positive: 'there's a real risk that ...'. Don't confuse with 〜かねる (cannot).",
  "zh": {
    "status": "reviewed",
    "source_hash": "3b8831ac939ff0401b11b615fad189f990f041799131a0d73b351b6094a1699b",
    "meanings": [
      "很可能(发生坏事)"
    ],
    "formation": "动词ます形去ます+かねない",
    "explanation": "表示存在发生不良结果的可能性。",
    "notes": "虽然含ない,但整个表达是肯定的风险判断。",
    "examples": [
      {
        "ja": "そんな無理な運転をしていたら、大事故を起こしかねない。",
        "zh": "那样冒险开车,很可能引发重大事故。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "不用意な一言が、会社の信用を失うことにつながりかねない。",
        "zh": "一句不慎的话可能导致公司失去信誉。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "あの人なら、平気でうそをつきかねない。",
        "zh": "那个人的话,完全可能若无其事地撒谎。"
      }
    ],
    "references": [
      "sources/grammar/n2.json#kanenai",
      "Original Chinese authored and reviewed by Codex; no independent human review"
    ],
    "reviewer": "Codex",
    "review_method": "ai",
    "reviewed_at": "2026-10-28",
    "review_hash": "37669c45099364c5e4f4d3914207dfa154fe76873883cb8854fdd5524087efe8"
  }
}