modality N1 uncommon casualwritten
〜て敵わない — unbearably ~
〜て敵わない ・ てかなわない
Builds on て形
Meaning
- unbearably ~ / so ~ that I can't stand it — an unpleasant sensation or state is more than one can put up with
Key sentence
今年の夏は暑くて敵わない。
This summer is unbearably hot.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective/verb て-form (states/sensations) | Aくて／Vて + 敵わない |
Examples
隣の工事がうるさくて敵わない。
The construction next door is unbearably noisy.
毎日残業ばかりで、疲れて敵わない。
It's overtime every single day — I'm exhausted beyond bearing.
Easily confused with
Notes
- Always written 敵わない here; negative/complaining tone. Distinct from かなわない 'no match for'.
See 〜て敵わない in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜て敵わない 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.