At a glance
～に堪える means "worth doing" or "good enough to stand up to" something, such as reading, viewing, criticism or use. It is formal and mostly written.
Verb (dictionary form) + に堪える
Noun + に堪える
この本は読むに堪える内容だ。 This book has content worth reading.
How to form it
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (dictionary form) | V + に堪える | 読むに堪える "worth reading" |
| Noun (action noun) | N + に堪える | 鑑賞に堪える "worth appreciating" |
| Before a noun | ～に堪える + N | 読むに堪える本 "a book worth reading" |
| Negative | V / N + に堪えない | 見るに堪えない "too awful to watch" |
Register: formal, mainly written (reviews, essays, reports). To talk about the past, change the end of the sentence: 聞くに堪えるものだった.