兼ねる · ichidan verb
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 兼ねる | 兼ねない |
| Polite | 兼ねます | 兼ねません |
| Past polite | 兼ねました | 兼ねませんでした |
| Past | 兼ねた | 兼ねなかった |
| Te-form | 兼ねて | 兼ねないで |
| Desire | 兼ねたい | 兼ねたくない |
| Potential | 兼ねられるalso 兼ねれる | 兼ねられないalso 兼ねれない |
| Passive | 兼ねられる | 兼ねられない |
| Causative | 兼ねさせる | 兼ねさせない |
| Causative passive | 兼ねさせられる | 兼ねさせられない |
| Volitional | 兼ねよう | |
| Polite volitional | 兼ねましょう | |
| Imperative | 兼ねろ | 兼ねるな |
| Conditional | 兼ねれば | 兼ねなければ |
| Tara conditional | 兼ねたら | 兼ねなかったら |
be unable to; find difficult to do; be not in a position to do
Auxiliary after the masu-stem of another verb: Vます-stem + かねる. Often used politely or formally when refusing, saying something is difficult, or saying one cannot responsibly do it.
See also: かねない
その件についてはお答えしかねます。
I am afraid I cannot answer about that matter.
こちらでは判断しかねるので、本社に確認します。
We cannot make that judgment here, so we will check with the head office.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
serve as both; combine functions; also function as
Used when one thing has two or more functions, features, or purposes. Common patterns include AはBを兼ねる and Bを兼ねたA.
この部屋は書斎と寝室を兼ねている。
This room serves as both a study and a bedroom.
ベッドを兼ねたソファを買った。
I bought a sofa that also functions as a bed.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
hold concurrently; serve in two roles; do alongside
Used for people holding multiple jobs, posts, or roles at the same time. More specific than the general 'combine functions' sense because it concerns duties or positions.
彼女は研究者と医師を兼ねている。
She is both a researcher and a doctor.
彼は編集長を兼ねて、その雑誌の運営にも関わっている。
He also serves as editor-in-chief and is involved in running the magazine.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
hesitate to do; be reluctant to say or do; feel awkward about doing
Usually appears attached to another verb, especially in expressions such as 言いかねる, where the difficulty comes from consideration, awkwardness, or reluctance toward others.
彼は本当の理由を言いかねて、しばらく黙っていた。
He hesitated to say the real reason and stayed silent for a while.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
take the future into account; look ahead to; allow for what may happen
Rare or old-fashioned use meaning to consider future circumstances as well as the present. Modern Japanese more often uses expressions such as 将来を考えて or 見越して.
古い文章では、「万一を兼ねて」のように、先のことを見越す意味で使われることがある。
In older writing, it is sometimes used in phrases like 万一を兼ねて to mean taking future contingencies into account.
I regret that I am not in a position to comply with his request.
This sofa also serves as a bed.
He serves as both president and chairman.
There's a bedroom that doubles as a study.
併せ持つ means to possess multiple qualities or traits together, whereas 兼ねる more often describes functions, duties, or roles that something or someone fulfills.
躊躇する is the general verb for hesitating over any action, while 兼ねる in expressions like 言いかねる specifically conveys reluctance to say or do something out of consideration for others.
見越す is the modern, common verb for anticipating future developments, while 兼ねる in this now old-fashioned sense also meant to take the future into account.
かねない looks like the negative of 兼ねる but actually means 'may well happen' or 'could easily do,' usually about an undesirable outcome, unlike 兼ねる's meaning of being unable to do something.
兼ねる means to serve two roles or purposes at once (e.g. a job holding two positions), whereas 兼ね備える means to possess two qualities or features simultaneously.
兼ねる is a verb meaning "to combine (roles)" and can stand alone as a predicate, while 兼 is the fixed conjunction placed between two nouns, as in 社長兼CEO.