modality N2 common politewritten
〜かねない — might (do something undesirable)
〜かねない ・ かねない
Meaning
- might ~ / could well ~ / is liable to ~ — warns that an undesirable outcome is a real possibility
Key sentence
そんなに無理をすると、体を壊しかねない。
If you overdo it like that, you could well ruin your health.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (ます-stem) | V(stem) + かねない | 失敗しかねない / 事故になりかねない |
Examples
うわさを放っておくと、彼の評判を傷つけかねない。
If we leave the rumor alone, it could damage his reputation.
今のやり方では、大きな問題を引き起こしかねない。
The way things are being done now could well cause a serious problem.
When you can't use it
- Only for bad or unwelcome outcomes. 成功しかねない ('might succeed') is wrong — for a good or neutral possibility use 〜かもしれない or 〜そうだ instead.
Easily confused with
〜かねる The trap pair: かねない = 'might (regrettably) do ~' (a worrying possibility), while かねる = 'cannot do ~' (お答えしかねます). Same root, opposite meanings — let the ない warn you it's the 'might happen' sense. 〜かもしれない かもしれない is a neutral 'maybe ~,' good or bad. かねない is specifically a warning — 'could well ~,' and only about undesirable results.
See 〜かねない in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜かねない the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.