に足りないNot worth; not sufficient to
に足りない says that something lacks enough value, importance, credibility, or adequacy to justify a particular action. The action before the expression supplies the standard that is not met.
The action sets the threshold
In this construction, the verb does not describe an action that is impossible. Instead, it names an action that the evidence, issue, or claim does not deserve or support. For example, 証明するに足りない means that the available material is insufficient to prove something, while 恐れるに足りない says that something is not serious enough to warrant fear.
A standard not met
この資料は、結論の根拠として採用するに足りない。
This material does not meet the standard for use as evidence for the conclusion.
AnalyzeThe sentence evaluates the material against the standard required for adopting it as evidence.
Common kinds of evaluation
The construction is especially natural with judgments of significance, trustworthiness, and evidential strength.
この誤差は分析結果に影響せず、取るに足りない。
This error does not affect the analysis and is insignificant.
AnalyzeLiterally: It is not worth taking up.
出所が確認できない情報は、政策判断の根拠として信頼するに足りない。
Information whose source cannot be verified is not trustworthy enough to serve as a basis for policy decisions.
Analyze現段階のデータは、安全性を証明するに足りない。
The data currently available are insufficient to prove safety.
AnalyzeThe positive counterpart
に足りない says that the required threshold is not met. By contrast, に足る or に足りる says that something does have enough value, credibility, or adequacy for the action.
この記録は、史料として信頼するに足りる。
This record is reliable enough to be trusted as a historical source.
AnalyzeThis is the positive form: the record meets the required standard.
More examples
その噂は、正式に調査するに足りないほど根拠が乏しい。
The rumor is so poorly supported that it does not warrant a formal investigation.
Analyzeこの程度の一時的な下落は、長期的な傾向を変えるものではなく、恐れるに足りない。
A temporary decline of this size will not alter the long-term trend and is no cause for alarm.
Analyze提出された記録は、彼の主張を裏づける証拠と認めるに足りない。
The submitted records are insufficient to be accepted as evidence supporting his claim.
Analyzeこの一件だけでは、制度全体に欠陥があると断定するに足りない。
This single case is not enough to conclude that the entire system is flawed.
Analyze匿名の投稿だけでは、告発を事実と認定するに足りない。
Anonymous posts alone are insufficient to establish the allegation as fact.
Analyzeその反論は、研究の前提を覆すに足りない。
That counterargument is not strong enough to overturn the study's assumptions.
Analyze