耐たえる

た

え

る

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

耐える · ichidan verb

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	耐たえる	耐たえない
Polite	耐たえます	耐たえません
Past polite	耐たえました	耐たえませんでした
Past	耐たえた	耐たえなかった
Te-form	耐たえて	耐たえないで
Desire	耐たえたい	耐たえたくない
Potential	耐たえられるalso 耐たえれる	耐たえられないalso 耐たえれない
Passive	耐たえられる	耐たえられない
Causative	耐たえさせる	耐たえさせない
Causative passive	耐たえさせられる	耐たえさせられない
Volitional	耐たえよう
Polite volitional	耐たえましょう
Imperative	耐たえろ	耐たえるな
Conditional	耐たえれば	耐たえなければ
Tara conditional	耐たえたら	耐たえなかったら

Meanings

ichidan verb, intransitive verb, transitive verb

bear; endure; put up with

Enduring something unpleasant or difficult: pain, hardship, boredom, or an undesirable situation. Often used with に.

彼かれは痛いたみに耐たえられなかった。
He couldn't bear the pain.
この暑あつさにはもう耐たえられない。
I can't stand this heat anymore.

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

withstand; resist; stand up to

Withstanding external force, pressure, or harsh conditions; also used for resisting temptation or an attack. Often used with に.

この橋はしは強つよい地じ震しんに耐たえられる設せっ計けいだ。
This bridge is designed to withstand strong earthquakes.
彼かれは誘ゆう惑わくに耐たえて、お菓か子しを食たべなかった。
He resisted the temptation and didn't eat the sweets.

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

be worthy of; be equal to; deserve

Used in the pattern 〜に耐える to mean something is worthy of a certain evaluation, status, or treatment. Often appears in formal or literary contexts.

この作さく品ひんは批ひ評ひょうに耐たえる完かん成せい度どだ。
This work has a level of perfection that can stand up to criticism.
彼かれの行こう為いは賞しょう賛さんに耐たえる。
His actions are worthy of praise.

See all 414 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉に耐たえるto endure (pain, hardship, boredom)
彼かれは激はげしい痛いたみに耐たえた。
He endured the intense pain.
〈物もの〉の重おもさに耐たえるto withstand the weight of something
この橋はしは大おお型がたトラックの重おもさに耐たえる設せっ計けいになっている。
This bridge is designed to withstand the weight of large trucks.
〈事こと〉の攻こう撃げきに耐たえるto withstand an attack or assault
城しろは長ちょう期き間かんの攻こう撃げきに耐たえた。
The castle withstood a prolonged siege.
〈事こと〉の批ひ評ひょうに耐たえるto be worthy of criticism/scrutiny; to hold up under critical evaluation
この小しょう説せつは時じ代だいの批ひ評ひょうに耐たえる名めい作さくだ。
This novel is a masterpiece that stands up to the criticism of the times.

Expressions

耐たえ得うるcan withstand; can endure; able to bear
見みるに耐たえないunbearable to look at; too awful to watch

Grammar

に堪たえない・に堪たえるtoo awful to watch; good enough for; deeply (grateful)N1

Kanji

耐-proof, enduring
堪withstand, endure, support

Transitive / intransitive

耐える itself is used both intransitively, with に marking the source of hardship (寒さに耐える, 'to endure the cold'), and transitively, taking a direct object with を (苦しみを耐える, 'to endure the suffering').

Related words· 9

我が慢まんN3sense 1
我慢する is a common transitive verb for enduring or putting up with something, often with a nuance of patience or self-restraint, while 耐える is more about withstanding a hardship and can be used intransitively.
辛しん抱ぼうN2sense 1
辛抱する means to endure with patience and perseverance over a long period, while 耐える focuses on the act of withstanding a specific pain or pressure.
持もちこたえるN1sense 2
持ちこたえる means to hold out or hold up under strain (often physical or structural), whereas 耐える is broader and covers emotional, physical, or evaluative endurance.
凌しのぐN1
耐える is more passive, focusing on bearing pain or hardship without necessarily overcoming it, while 凌ぐ implies actively fighting off or getting through something.

Show 5 more

たまる
耐える is the common verb for enduring hardship or pain, while 堪る is rare and almost only appears as たまらない, meaning something is unbearable.
忍しのぶN1
耐える is the common, neutral verb for enduring hardship, while 忍ぶ adds a literary, quietly patient nuance to the same idea of endurance.
こらえるN2
耐える focuses on withstanding hardship or pressure over time and is often intransitive, while 堪える is transitive and describes actively holding back a specific feeling or urge.
踏ふん張ばるN1
耐える describes passively enduring pain or hardship, whereas 踏ん張る implies an active, forceful stance of refusing to give way.
乗のり切きるN1
耐える means simply to endure or bear something without necessarily resolving it, while 乗り切る implies successfully getting all the way through to the other side.

Opposites

屈くっする sense 2
屈する means to give in or yield to pressure, the opposite of 耐える, which means to withstand and not give in.

Don't confuse with

絶たえるN2
絶える (also read たえる) means to cease or die out, a completely different meaning from 耐える, which means to endure or withstand; the two are easily confused because they share a reading.

Word family

耐たえ難がたい
unbearable; intolerable; unendurable
耐たえ忍しのぶ
endure; bear patiently; put up with
耐たえ抜ぬく
endure to the end; stick it out; hold out
耐たえきれる
can bear; can endure; can stand
耐たえ凌しのぐ
endure; bear patiently; put up with

Written forms

耐たえるUsage93%
Standard kanji for enduring hardship, pain, or pressure.
堪たえるUsage7%
Often used for emotional endurance or bearing something with fortitude; interchangeable with 耐える in many contexts.

Etymology

The verb たえる has been used since Old Japanese with the core meaning of enduring or withstanding. The kanji 耐 carries the sense of bearing or resisting, while 堪 adds a nuance of emotional fortitude. The exact derivation of the native Japanese reading is uncertain.