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Formation: V-dictionary (見る・聞く・読む) + に堪えない; N (感謝・遺憾・同情・憂慮 etc.) + に堪えない; polite: に堪えません

This pattern has two uses. After a few verbs like 見る, 聞く and 読む it means something is so bad, ugly or offensive that one can't bear to watch, hear or read it, and it expresses strong disapproval. After nouns of feeling such as 感謝, 遺憾 or 同情 it means the feeling is so strong it can't be held back, so 'deeply' or 'profoundly'. In this second sense it is very formal, typical of speeches, official statements and letters, and usually describes the speaker's own feeling. It is the negative of 〜に耐える／に堪える, which means 'withstand' or 'be worth' (鑑賞に堪える, 'worth appreciating'). Compare 〜を禁じ得ない ('cannot help feeling', often about someone else's situation) and the less formal 〜限りだ.

Variants: 〜に堪えません、見るに堪えない、聞くに堪えない、感謝の念に堪えない

Examples

• ネット上には読むに堪えない中傷があふれている。
  The internet is full of slander too vile to read.
• 皆様の温かいご支援に、感謝の念に堪えません。
  I am deeply grateful to you all for your warm support.
• このような事態を招いたことは、遺憾に堪えない。
  It is a matter of the deepest regret that this situation was allowed to arise.

In real texts 0 occurrence(s)

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