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し得る (しうる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

しうる

Meanings

1

expression, nidan verb with 'u' ending (archaic)

can do; may do; be capable of doing

usually written using kana alone

Literary or formal expression meaning 'can do' or 'is capable of doing'. Attaches to the continuative form (連用形) of verbs. Equivalent to することができる or the potential form, but more formal and often found in written language.

See also: 得る (うる)

彼かれはどんな困こん難なんも乗のり越こえし得うる人じん物ぶつだ。
He is a person who can overcome any difficulty.
この問もん題だいは解かい決けつし得うるだろうか。
Can this problem be solved, I wonder?

Kanji

得gain, get, find

Similar words

得うる
得る (うる) is the verb 'to be able to' or 'to obtain', used as a suffix in the same way. し得る is specifically the combination of する + 得る, meaning 'can do'.
できる
できる is the modern, common way to express potential ('can do'). し得る is more formal and literary.

Etymology

Combination of the continuative form of する (し) and the verb 得る (うる, 'to be able to'). The form うる is the archaic Nidan verb, now used mainly in formal or literary contexts.