に足らない / に足りない means cannot; not worthy; not worth doing ~. It is a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar pattern used to dismiss something as too trivial or insufficient to merit the stated action. This pattern gives your Japanese a sharper, more evaluative edge — often critical or superior.
If you want to say that someone’s opinion is beneath discussion, a problem isn’t serious enough to worry about, or an achievement falls short of praise, に足らない / に足りない is the precise tool.
What does に足らない / に足りない mean?
Use に足らない / に足りない when you want to express that something does not reach the level needed to justify doing the verb. It’s a judgment of insufficiency — not in quantity, but in importance or worth.
Natural translations include:
- not worth ~ing
- cannot be called ~
- not enough to ~
- too insignificant to ~
The variant with 足らない (instead of 足りない) is slightly less common but identical in meaning. Choose whichever sounds more natural to you; native speakers use both.
How to form に足らない / に足りない
Pattern
No noun or adjective can take the place of the verb. The verb you attach is the action you judge as ‘not worth doing’. Typical verbs include: 言う (say), 取る (take), 驚く (be surprised), 恐れる (fear), 問題にする (make an issue of), 称賛する (praise), 信じる (believe), etc.
Example formulas:
If the verb expresses a state rather than an action (e.g. 値する ‘be worthy’), the nuance flips. That’s a different pattern reviewed in the comparison section below.
When is に足らない / に足りない used?
This grammar pops up in contexts where a speaker or writer is dismissing something as unimportant, trivial, or undeserving of attention. The stance is often critical, sometimes arrogant, but can also be factual (e.g. in scientific reporting: “data not significant enough to warrant discussion”).
Common settings:
- Essays and editorials — brushing aside weak counterarguments
- Formal criticism — reviewing art, policies, performances
- News and commentary — declaring an event unremarkable
- Everyday speech (when the speaker wants to sound sharp) — telling a friend their worry is “not worth fretting over”
Tone & register:
- Formal to semi‑formal; rarely used in very casual chitchat.
- The dismissive flavor makes it stronger than a simple negative. Saying 取るに足らない is harsher than just 大したことない (not a big deal).
に足らない / に足りない example sentences
彼の意見は取るに足らない。
His opinion is not worth considering.
その問題は議論するに足りない。
That problem isn’t worth discussing.
あんな小さなミスは気にするに足らない。
Such a small mistake isn’t worth worrying about.
彼の実績は称賛するに足らない。
His achievements aren’t worth praising.
その噂は信じるに足りない。
That rumor isn’t credible enough to believe.
この結果は驚くに足りない。
This result is nothing to be surprised about.
Nuance of に足らない / に足りない
The core nuance is active dismissal: the speaker declares that something falls so far short that the verb isn’t justified.
This is different from just saying “it’s not much”. For example:
- 大したことない — “it’s no big deal” (casual, neutral).
- 取るに足らない — “it’s beneath consideration” (formal, dismissive, carries a sense of superiority).
Using this pattern implies you’ve evaluated the thing and found it lacking. When you use it about another person’s statement, it can sound condescending. Use it intentionally, and only when you really mean that something is too trivial to deserve the action.
In writing, the choice between 足らない and 足りない is often just a matter of rhythm; 足らない might feel slightly more archaic or bookish. For conversation, 足りない is more common.
に足らない / に足りない vs に値する
These two are direct opposites — both evaluate whether something reaches a standard, but from opposite sides.
- States that something is **not** important enough to do the verb.
- Used to dismiss or downplay.
- States that something **is** worth the verb; it deserves that action.
- Used to praise or acknowledge merit.
Quick contrast:
- 彼の努力は評価するに値する — His efforts are worthy of recognition (positive).
- 彼の努力は評価するに足りない — His efforts aren’t worth recognizing (negative).
If you ever forget which is which, remember that 値 means “value, worth” in a positive sense, while 足りない means “not enough”.
Common mistakes with に足らない / に足りない
The main takeaway: に足りない is never about literal shortage. It’s about worthiness. When you need to say “not enough money / time / sugar”, drop the に and use plain 足りない.
Is に足らない / に足りない on the JLPT?
に足らない / に足りない is a staple of the N1 grammar syllabus.
JLPT exam writers love to test whether you can tell the difference between patterns that hinge on one particle or one verb form. Be ready for a sentence where plain 足りない is a distractor, and the correct answer requires the evaluative に足りない.
Practice questions for に足らない / に足りない
dismissal Use に足らない to dismiss a popular complaint in your country.
comparison Write a sentence with に値する, then rewrite it negatively using に足りない. Feel the tone shift.
collocation Create three original sentences using the most common collocations: 取るに足らない、言うに足らない、驚くに足りない.
JLPT trap
You see this in a sentence: 時間が足りないから急ごう. Is に足りない an appropriate replacement? Explain why not.
Learning path for に足らない / に足りない
Memorize the core collocations. Drill 取るに足らない、言うに足らない、驚くに足りない until they flow naturally.
Contrast with に値する. Build a private cheat sheet of five opposite pairs (e.g., 信じるに値する vs 信じるに足りない).
Upgrade your dismissive toolkit. Replace 大したことない with に足りない in a journal entry or language exchange. Notice how the register lifts.
Spot the trap. Collect a few sentences where plain 足りない appears. Rewrite the ones where you can add に to create a value judgment. This cements the difference.
Related grammar to review next
- に値する — the positive twin; when something is worthy.
- に — the fundamental particle; mastering its evaluative uses powers this pattern.
- にあって — an N1 pattern that also builds a contextual frame with に.
- にひきかえ — in sharp contrast to; another N1 point that pairs with に.
Learn に足らない / に足りない with Hane
Review に足らない / に足りない alongside its opposites and related patterns in focused practice sessions with Hane. Short drills help the dismissive nuance stick faster than reading alone.
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FAQ about に足らない / に足りない
What does に足らない / に足りない (ni taranai / ni tarinai) mean in Japanese?
に足らない / に足りない (ni taranai / ni tarinai) means “cannot; not worthy; not worth doing”. It is JLPT N1 grammar. Use に足らない / に足りない when you want to express that something does not reach the level needed to justify doing the verb. It’s a judgment of insufficiency — not in quantity, but in importance or worth.
How do you form に足らない / に足りない (ni taranai / ni tarinai)?
Pattern Verb (dictionary form) ＋ に足らない / に足りない No noun or adjective can take the place of the verb. The verb you attach is the action you judge as ‘not worth doing’.
What is an example sentence with に足らない / に足りない (ni taranai / ni tarinai)?
彼の意見は取るに足らない。 — His opinion is not worth considering.