JLPT N1Written, formalA judgment

に足たる・に足たりないworth; enough to; not worth

A written judgment of worth, built on 足たりる, "to be enough": is there enough in this to trust, respect or act on? に足たる says yes. に足たりない says no, most often in 取とるに足たりない, "trivial".

worth, enough to

社しゃ内ない調ちょう査さで、信しん頼らいに足たる資し料りょうが新あらたに見みつかった。

The internal investigation turned up new material that can be trusted.

not worth

この誤ご差さは分ぶん析せき結けっ果かに影えい響きょうせず、取とるに足たりない。

This error has no effect on the results of the analysis and is not worth worrying about.

Worth, enough to

Verb dictionary form／する-noun + に足たる

信しん頼らいするに足たる and 信しん頼らいに足たる mean the same. Mostly before a noun. Also に足たりる, the verb's modern form.

Not worth

Verb dictionary form + に足たりない

Also に足たらない. Mostly in two set phrases, 取とるに足たりない and 恐おそれるに足たりない.

Before it: What the thing has earned or is enough for: 信しん頼らい, 尊そん敬けい, 信しんじる, 満まん足ぞく, 証しょう明めいする.
Where you'll meet it: Reviews, recommendations, editorials, research papers, court rulings. It is for reading; only 取とるに足たりない is much heard in speech.
In conversation: People say 信しん頼らいできる人ひと (someone you can trust), 十じゅう分ぶんな証しょう拠こ (enough evidence), 大たいしたことない (it's nothing much).

Worth, enough to

About a person or a source it is "worthy of". About evidence or data it is "enough to".

彼かれは、困こん難なんな状じょう況きょうでも原げん則そくを曲まげなかった。尊そん敬けいするに足たる人じん物ぶつだ。

He did not bend his principles even when things were hard. He is a man worthy of respect.

調ちょう査さチームは、結けつ論ろんを修しゅう正せいするに足たりるデータを集あつめた。

The research team gathered enough data to justify revising the conclusion.

この証しょう言げんは、他ほかの記き録ろくとも一いっ致ちしており、信しん頼らいに足たりる。

This testimony agrees with the other records and can be trusted.

Not worth

The thing is too small or too weak to deserve the action.

取とるに足たりないtrivial; not worth bothering with

二人ふたりは取とるに足たりないことで言いい争あらそいになった。

The two of them got into an argument over something trivial.

Usually before a noun.

恐おそれるに足たりないnothing to be afraid of

この程てい度どの一いち時じ的てきな下げ落らくは、長ちょう期き的てきな傾けい向こうを変かえるものではなく、恐おそれるに足たりない。

A temporary dip of this size will not change the long-term trend, and is nothing to be afraid of.

With other verbs it is mostly about evidence: not enough to prove or to conclude.

現げん段だん階かいのデータは、安あん全ぜん性せいを証しょう明めいするに足たりない。

The data we have at this stage is not enough to prove that it is safe.

Close neighbours

に値するN2

Stronger: the thing deserves it. Praise and attention mostly go with に値あたいする, trust and respect with either. Only に足たる is "enough to" prove or conclude.

災さい害がい現げん場ばで人じん命めい救きゅう助じょに尽じん力りょくした彼かの女じょの行こう動どうは、称しょう賛さんに値あたいする。

Her efforts to save lives at the disaster site deserve praise.

に堪える・に堪えないN1

Holds up under a test: 鑑かん賞しょうに堪たえる, good enough to be watched. 聞きくに堪たえない is harsher than "not worth": too awful to listen to.

試し合あい中ちゅう、観かん客きゃく席せきから聞きくに堪たえないやじが飛とんだ。

During the match, heckling too ugly to listen to came flying from the stands.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

そんなうわさは、取とるに足たりない。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

証しょう拠こが弱よわく、彼かれを犯はん人にんと断だん定ていするに（　　）。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

In period dramas and manga you will meet 恐おそるるに足たらず: 恐おそれるに足たりない in classical grammar.

敵てきの数かずは多おおいが、恐おそるるに足たらず。

The enemy are many, but they are nothing to fear.

More sentences

彼かの女じょは、長なが年ねんの実じっ績せきから見みても信しん頼らいするに足たる指し導どう者しゃだ。

Judging by her record over many years, she is a leader worthy of trust.

この作さく品ひんには、次つぎの世せ代だいに伝つたえるに足たる普ふ遍へん的てきな魅み力りょくがある。

This work has a universal appeal that makes it worth handing on to the next generation.

この記き録ろくは、史し料りょうとして信しん頼らいするに足たりる。

This record is reliable enough to be trusted as a historical source.

彼かれの話はなしを信しんじるに足たる証しょう拠こは、まだ見みつかっていない。

No evidence good enough to make his story believable has been found yet.

この一いっ件けんだけでは、制せい度ど全ぜん体たいに欠けっ陥かんがあると断だん定ていするに足たりない。

This one case is not enough to conclude that the whole system is flawed.

その反はん論ろんは、研けん究きゅうの前ぜん提ていを覆くつがえすに足たりない。

That counter-argument is not strong enough to overturn the premises of the study.