At a glance
～に耐える means "to endure" or "to withstand" something: pain, hardship, pressure, or a physical force. After a verb dictionary form or an action noun it means "worth doing". In that sense it is usually written 堪える and mostly appears in the negative.
[Noun] に 耐える
[Verb dictionary form / action noun] に 堪える ／ 堪えない
この建物は大きな地震にも耐えられます。 This building can withstand even large earthquakes.
How to form it
| Attaches to | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (hardship) | 痛みに耐える | endure pain |
| Noun (force, condition) | 地震に耐える | withstand earthquakes |
| Verb dictionary form | 見るに堪えない | too awful to watch |
| Action noun | 鑑賞に堪える | worth appreciating |
耐える is a る-verb: 耐えます, 耐えない, 耐えた, 耐えられる (can endure). The expression is mostly used in writing and formal speech.