Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 3: 3/23

兼(か)ねないMight, Could be, Capable of, Possible

Structure

Verb［ます］+ かねない
Noun + に + ​​かねない

Details

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About かねない

The negative form of the る-Verb 兼(か)ねる 'to spread across' (usually 2 different activities or thought processes) is a grammar pattern that indicates a possibility of (A) happening, especially when it is something that the speaker themselves cannot control. 兼(か)ねない is often translated as 'might (A)', 'capable of (A)', or '(A) is a possibility'.

This structure will be seen connected to the ます-stem of verbs, or after nouns followed by に. Both the kanji and non-kanji forms may be used.

It is quite common to see 兼(か)ねない come after conditional phrases that include と, ば, たら, でも, and similar structures. This indicates that 'if (A) were to happen, (B) may also occur'.

Caution

While this grammar structure is most often used to highlight negative outcomes, it may also be used to indicate or desire or wish sarcastically.

  • ちゃんと毎日(まいにち)勉強(べんきょう)すれば、来週(らいしゅう)のテストは合格(ごうかく)できかねない。
    If I study everyday, I might do well on the test next week.

Fun-fact

As 兼(か)ねる means 'to spread across', in the negative, this expression can be thought of as similar to 'to not be a stretch' in English. It just indicates the action of (A) would not be a stretch of the ability or capacity of whoever or whatever is being discussed.

  • 彼女(かのじょ)はどんな病気(びょうき)でも治(なお)しかねない。
    It wouldn't be a stretch to say that she can cure any disease.

Examples

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    この事(こと)をそのままにしていたら、摩擦(まさつ)をうみ兼(か)ねない。

    If you leave it at that, it might cause conflict.

    危険(きけん)な運転(うんてん)をすれば、事故(じこ)が起(お)こり兼(か)ねない。

    If you drive dangerously, an accident might occur.

    この犬(いぬ)に噛(か)まれたら、大(おお)怪我(けが)をしかねない。

    If this dog bites you, it is capable of causing serious injury.

    この程度(ていど)の怪我(けが)でも、ウイルスに感染(かんせん)し兼(か)ねない。

    Even with this degree of injury, you might get a virus infection.

    灯油(とうゆ)の保管(ほかん)をちゃんとしないと、火事(かじ)になり兼(か)ねない。

    If you don't properly store kerosene, a fire is possible.

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かねない – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

  • jakedesu2010

    jakedesu2010

    It appears that this grammar structure can come after a noun, however none of the example sentences show this structure, nor could I find any examples online. Does anyone have any good examples?

  • sergiop

    sergiop

    Not sure if you were referring to the を兼ねて grammar point referred above or the one with the negative. But if it is the first case, maybe the reason you were not able to find examples online is because the がてら grammar point that has the same meaning is used instead of it. See the highlight part in the Handbook:

  • sergiop

    sergiop

    In classical Japanese, what I found was a correspondence to あわせて or と同時に、

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