JLPT N1 Grammar

〜に忍びない (ni shinobinai)

〜に忍びない (ni shinobinai)
“Cannot bear to; too painful to; cannot bring oneself to”

This expression is used when the speaker feels a strong sense of pity, guilt, or emotional pain that prevents them from doing something or witnessing a certain state. It suggests that while there might be a practical reason to do something, the speaker’s heart/conscience simply won't allow it.

  • Formality: Highly formal and literary. It is an idiomatic expression rooted in classical Japanese.
  • Context: Primarily used in written Japanese (novels, formal essays) or very formal, polite speech. In a business context, it is used when expressing deep regret or reluctance regarding a difficult decision, such as letting go of a talented employee or discarding a project with sentimental value.
  • Nuance: It carries a heavy emotional weight. It emphasizes the speaker's internal psychological resistance rather than an external prohibition. It often implies that the object of the action is in a pitiful or vulnerable state.

Format

  • Verb (Dictionary Form) + に忍びない
    せっかく作った料理を捨てるに忍びない。 I cannot bear to throw away the meal I took the trouble to cook.
  • Noun + に忍びない
    彼の落胆した様子は、見るに忍びない。 His crestfallen appearance is too painful to look at. (Note: Often used with verbs of perception like 見る or 聞く)

Example sentences

  • 、。
    I cannot bear to throw away a tool I’ve used for many years just because it has become old.
  • 、。
    It is too painful to lay off a talented subordinate due to the worsening management situation.
  • 、。
    The sight of the disaster victims standing petrified in front of their collapsed homes is too painful to look at directly.
  • 、。
    I cannot bring myself to talk any more about work to a friend who is suffering in a sickbed.
  • 、。
    It is truly painful to see the old office building, which is packed with memories, being demolished.
  • 。
    I cannot bear to hear about his unfortunate life circumstances.
  • 、。
    I want to help as soon as possible, but the current situation where I can do nothing but watch is unbearable.
  • 。
    I cannot bear to silently stand by and watch a traditional technique die out.
  • 、。
    It is too painful to see a young child crying all alone.
  • 、。
    Canceling a project we worked ourselves to the bone for is heartbreaking and unbearable.

Similar Grammar

〜にたえない (ni taenai)

“Cannot endure; cannot help but feel...”
彼のスピーチは聞くにたえない。 His speech is unbearable to listen to (it’s so bad/terrible).

Difference:

  • 〜にたえない focuses on the objective low quality or overwhelming intensity of an emotion (e.g., 感謝にたえない - extremely grateful).
  • 〜に忍びない specifically emphasizes the speaker's personal heart/compassion resisting the action.

〜きれない (kirenai)

“Cannot finish; cannot completely (do)...”
悲しみきれない。 I cannot be sad enough (cannot finish being sad).

Difference:

  • 〜きれない is about the quantity or degree of an action being too much to finish.
  • 〜に忍びない is about the psychological pain of the action itself.

〜かねる (kaneru)

“Cannot; difficult to do; feel hesitant to...”
そのご提案は、承諾しかねます。 I am unable to (hesitate to) accept that proposal.

Difference:

  • 〜かねる is a formal business way to say "I can't do it" due to professional reasons or policies.
  • 〜に忍びない is based on personal emotion and pity.

〜ざるを得ない (zaru o enai)

“Have no choice but to...”
中止せざるを得ない。 We have no choice but to cancel.

Difference:

  • This is the logical opposite in usage.
  • While 〜に忍びない describes why you don't want to do something, 〜ざるを得ない describes the necessity of doing it despite your feelings.

〜がたい (gatai)

“Hard to; difficult to...”
信じがたい話だ。 It’s a hard-to-believe story.

Difference:

  • 〜がたい focuses on the physical or situational difficulty of an action. 〜に忍びない is strictly about emotional/moral pain.

JLPT Practice Questions

Now let’s test your understanding.

Q1. がしていくは、（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q2. のは、として（　　　）ものだ。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q3. をのを（　　　）、をした。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q4. のなは、する（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q5. でのを（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q6. したのがのを（　　　）、彼はその場を去った。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q7. のぶりは、で（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q8. をしているのは、を（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q9. をに（　　　）、のをしている。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q10. するにの（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q11. でをのは、（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q12. なのを、（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q13. をされていたがをのは、にも（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q14. ので、なとのを（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q15. のなは、（　　　）。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Continue Your Journey to Native-Level Fluency

Great work finishing this session! Achieving N1-level precision is about layering these subtle distinctions until they become second nature in your professional life.

To maintain your momentum and eliminate any remaining blind spots, head back to our JLPT N1 Grammar List. Use it to systematically check off each point and refine your ability to navigate complex Japanese environments with the confidence of a native speaker.

JLPT N1 Grammar List

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