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Formation: V-dictionary / V-ない + きらいがある; N + の + きらいがある

〜きらいがある says that a person, group or thing tends to do something undesirable. It carries a critical or disapproving tone. It is formal and mostly written, typical of editorials, commentary and critical essays, and it often comes with どうも, とかく or ややもすると. It is used for undesirable tendencies only, never neutral or good ones, and it is usually about others or people in general, though it can be used in self-criticism. Compared with 〜がち, which describes something that happens often and sounds more everyday, 〜きらいがある describes an ingrained habit of mind or behaviour and sounds more judgemental. 〜ともすれば also expresses a tendency to slip into something, but it is an adverb-like introducer, not a sentence ending.

Variants: 〜きらいがある、〜嫌いがある

Examples

• 彼は物事を悲観的に考えるきらいがある。
  He has a tendency to see things pessimistically.
• 最近の報道は事件を誇張するきらいがある。
  Recent reporting tends to exaggerate incidents.
• あの政治家には独断専行のきらいがある。
  That politician is inclined to act on his own without consulting anyone.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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