By ProDev Teach | Updated: May 2025
🔍 Meaning & Usage
The grammar pattern ～にかたくない is used to express that something is not difficult to do (especially emotionally or mentally), such as imagining, understanding, or sympathizing. It is often used in formal writing or literary contexts.
English Equivalents:
- It is not hard to imagine…
- One can easily guess…
- Not difficult to understand…
Structure:
Verb dictionary form + にかたくない(common with 想像する・理解する・察する)- e.g. 想像する → 想像にかたくない
Note: This phrase is literary and not commonly used in daily conversation.
💡 Example Sentences
- 彼の努力は想像にかたくない。
His efforts are not hard to imagine. - 彼女がその知らせにショックを受けたのは、察するにかたくない。
It is not difficult to sympathize with how shocked she must have been by the news. - 戦争中の人々の苦しみは理解にかたくない。
It is not hard to understand the suffering of people during the war. - 両親の喜びは想像にかたくない。
It’s easy to imagine how happy the parents must be.
📝 Grammar Notes
This expression often appears with abstract mental actions such as:
- 想像する (to imagine)
- 理解する (to understand)
- 察する (to guess/sympathize)
It carries a tone of empathy or formal evaluation. Avoid using it in everyday spoken Japanese.
✏️ Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blanks
- 彼の悔しさは（ ）。
- その悲しみは、想像（ ）。
- 子供を失った親の気持ちは、察する（ ）。
✔ Answers:
- 彼の悔しさは理解にかたくない。
- その悲しみは、想像にかたくない。
- 子供を失った親の気持ちは、察するにかたくない。
2. Translation Practice
- It’s not difficult to imagine the sorrow she felt.
- We can easily understand how painful the experience was.
✔ Suggested Answers:
- 彼女が感じた悲しみは、想像にかたくない。
- その経験がどれほど辛かったか、理解にかたくない。
📚 Comparison with Similar Expressions
- ～に違いない: Expresses strong certainty (e.g., “must be”), whereas ～にかたくない implies empathy or emotional understanding.
- ～ような気がする: A more casual way to express feelings or assumptions, used in conversation.
🧠 Summary
- ～にかたくない = “Not difficult to imagine/understand”
- JLPT Level: N1
- Used with 想像する, 理解する, 察する
- Formal and literary tone
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.
