JLPT N1Written, formalSet phrases

にかたくないit is not hard to imagine

Given what is known, anyone can picture the rest: "it is not hard to imagine". It is a phrase of essays and news comment, and nearly always 想そう像ぞうに難かたくない or 察さっするに難かたくない.

突とつ然ぜんの方ほう針しん変へん更こうに現げん場ばが戸と惑まどったことは想そう像ぞうに難かたくない。

It is not hard to imagine that the people on the ground were thrown by the sudden change of policy.

How to form it

想そう像ぞう／察さっする + に難かたくない

A small set: less often 理り解かい, 推すい測そく or 予よ想そう. 想そう像ぞうするに難かたくない, with する, means the same. 難くない is read かたくない: 難かたい is an old word for "hard", the がたい of 信しんじがたい.

Before it: What anyone could picture, usually as 〜ことは or どれほど〜かは, or a noun for a feeling with は.
Said about: Mostly what someone else felt or went through, or what is bound to follow from the facts.
Where you'll meet it: Essays, editorials, news comment, speeches. It is one to recognize: in conversation people say 想そう像ぞうがつく.

In use

被ひ災さい地ちの写しゃ真しんを見みれば、復ふっ旧きゅうまでの道みちのりがいかに厳きびしいかは想そう像ぞうに難かたくない。

Looking at the photographs of the disaster area, it is not hard to imagine how difficult the road to recovery will be.

十じゅう年ねん間かん育そだてた木きを伐ばっ採さいせざるを得えなかった庭にわ師しの無む念ねんは、察さっするに難かたくない。

It is not hard to imagine the gardener's bitter regret at having to cut down a tree he had tended for ten years.

当とう時じの状じょう況きょうを考かんがえれば、彼かれが辞じ任にんを選えらんだ理り由ゆうは理り解かいに難かたくない。

Given the situation at the time, it is not hard to understand why he chose to resign.

It isn't a general "easy to"

It stays with imagining, guessing and understanding. Something that is easy to do takes やすい.

Not said: この漢かん字じは書かくに難かたくない。

(This kanji is not hard to write.)

書かきやすい.

Close neighbours

がたいN2

The same 難 on a verb stem, and the other way around: "hard to", because the mind resists. The くない is easy to skim past: 難かたくない is "not hard".

当とう時じの人ひと々びとが味あじわった恐きょう怖ふは、現げん代だいの私わたしたちには想そう像ぞうしがたい。

The fear people went through at the time is hard for us today to imagine.

べくもないN1

Written too. 想そう像ぞうすべくもない is the opposite: "impossible to imagine".

当とう時じの住じゅう民みんが感かんじた恐きょう怖ふは、今いまの私わたしたちには想そう像ぞうすべくもない。

The fear felt by the residents at the time is beyond our imagination today.

Check yourself

1What is the writer saying?

一いっ点てん差さで敗やぶれた選せん手しゅたちの悔くやしさは、想そう像ぞうに難かたくない。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which sentence is natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

連れん日じつの残ざん業ぎょうで、担たん当とう者しゃが心しん身しんともに疲ひ弊へいしていたことは想そう像ぞうするに難かたくない。

With overtime day after day, it is not hard to imagine that the person in charge was worn out in body and mind.

物ぶっ価か高だかがこのまま続つづけば、家か計けいへの負ふ担たんがさらに増ますことは予よ想そうに難かたくない。

If prices go on rising like this, it is easy to foresee the strain on household budgets growing further.

主しゅ要ような橋はしが通つう行こう止どめになれば、周しゅう辺へん道どう路ろが混こん雑ざつすることは予よ想そうに難かたくない。

If a major bridge is closed, it is easy to foresee congestion on the surrounding roads.