〜てかなわない: 'Can't Stand It' (Meaning + Examples)
Complaining that something is unbearable
〜てかなわない expresses that a physical sensation or emotional state has become so intense the speaker can't stand it anymore. It's a strong complaint, common in casual conversation and older/literary speech alike.
この部屋は暑くてかなわない。窓を開けよう。
この へやは あつくて かなわない。まどを あけよう。
This room is unbearably hot. Let's open a window.
暑くてかなわない = the heat has become genuinely unbearable, not just uncomfortable.
やったんは、隣の工事がうるさくてかなわないとぼやいていた。
やったんは、となりの こうじが うるさくてかなわないと ぼやいていた。
Yattan was grumbling that the construction next door was unbearably noisy.
結果が気になってかなわないから、早く発表してほしい。
けっかが きになってかなわないから、はやく はっぴょうしてほしい。
I'm so anxious about the results that I can't stand it — I wish they'd announce it soon.
Attaching to an い-adjective or verb
〜てかなわない attaches to the te-form of an い-adjective (くて) or a verb (て), and describes an ongoing, overwhelming state. な-adjectives take で instead of くて.
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| い-adjective | 〜くて＋かなわない | 眠くてかなわない (unbearably sleepy) |
| な-adjective | 〜で＋かなわない | 不便でかなわない (unbearably inconvenient) |
| Verb (feeling/state) | 〜て＋かなわない | 気になってかなわない (can't stand how much it's on my mind) |
モチは花粉症で目がかゆくてかなわないと言っていた。
モチは かふんしょうで めが かゆくてかなわないと いっていた。
Mochi said her eyes were unbearably itchy because of hay fever.
A very natural, spoken use of くてかなわない for a physical symptom.
Don't confuse with 〜てたまらない
〜てたまらない also means "unbearably, can't help but" and overlaps heavily with てかなわない, but it's more commonly used in writing and works naturally with desires too: 会いたくてたまらない ("I miss them so much I can't stand it"). 〜てかなわない leans more colloquial/spoken and often carries a grumbling, complaining tone — it's less natural for warm feelings like longing and more at home with irritation, heat, noise, or itchiness.
The short version
- 〜てかなわない = "it's unbearable / I can't stand it" — a strong spoken complaint.
- Attaches to: い-adj (くて) / な-adj (で) / verb (て) + かなわない.
- Nuance/register: colloquial, often grumbling; describes being overwhelmed by a sensation or feeling.
- Don't confuse with: 〜てたまらない, a close synonym that's more literary and also fits warm feelings like longing.
Practice it
Choose てかなわない for a strong, spoken complaint about something unbearable.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
この蒸し暑さは＿＿＿、仕事にならない。
Where 〜てかなわない fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜てください · N5 — 〜てください is the standard way to politely ask someone to do something ('please do…'). Learn the formation, the negative 〜ないでください, softer variations, and see clear examples.
- 〜てたまらない · N3 — 〜てたまらない attaches to the て-form of an adjective or verb to mean unbearably / so ... that I can't stand it — an overwhelming emotion or physical sensation.
Don't confuse it with
- 〜てならない · N1 — 〜てならない attaches to feeling verbs or adjectives to mean an emotion is uncontrollable — 気になってならない ('I just can't stop worrying'). Formal and literary, don't confuse it with the unrelated 〜てはならない ('must not').
More N1 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜てやむなし — 〜てやむなしは literary way to say something is unavoidable — 'it can't be helped, there's no choice.' It attaches to the te-form or a noun and resigns to an outcome as the only realistic possibility.
- 〜ともなると — 〜ともなると means 'once (someone/something) reaches that level or status, of course...' — it draws an expected, natural conclusion from a notable status, role, or occasion. Common with jobs, ranks, and life stages.
- 〜つ〜つ — 〜つ〜つ pairs two opposite verb stems (often 抜きつ抜かれつ, 行きつ戻りつ) to mean two actions happening back and forth or simultaneously. A classical, literary set-phrase pattern, not a productive everyday grammar rule.
- 〜はおろか — 〜はおろか means 'let alone X' — it names a basic, easy case (X) and pairs it with a negative predicate to say that if even X isn't possible, a harder case (Y) certainly isn't either, similar to English 'not even X, let alone Y.'
- 〜を踏まえて — 〜を踏まえて means 'based on X' or 'taking X into account' — it introduces prior facts, results, or experience as the grounded foundation for a decision or action that follows, common in reports and formal discussion.