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鼻持ちならない (はなもちならない) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

鼻はな持もちならない

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Meanings

1

expression, i-adjective

foul-smelling; stinking

Literally 'unable to hold one's nose', describing an unbearable stench.

この部屋へやは鼻はな持もちならない臭においだ。
This room has an unbearable stench.

2

expression, i-adjective

intolerable; unbearable; disgusting

Figurative extension: describes behavior, attitude, or personality so offensive it is metaphorically 'stinking'.

彼かれの傲ごう慢まんな態たい度どは鼻はな持もちならない。
His arrogant attitude is intolerable.

Kanji

鼻nose, snout
持hold, have

Similar words

臭くさい
臭い is a general adjective for 'smelly', while 鼻持ちならない is a stronger, more emphatic expression for an unbearable smell or figurative disgust.
我が慢まんならない
我慢ならない means 'unbearable' in a general sense (can't stand it), while 鼻持ちならない specifically originates from a smell-related metaphor and often carries a nuance of disgust.

Etymology

From 鼻 (nose) + 持ち (holding) + ならない (cannot). Literally 'cannot hold one's nose', i.e., the smell is so bad one cannot bear to keep one's nose. The figurative sense extends this to intolerable behavior.