待ち兼ねる・待ちかねる|まちかねるmachikaneru[4]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
待ちかねる待ちかねる is the more common kanji-kana spelling and the preferred choice for beginners when writing this word.
待ち兼ねる待ち兼ねる is a less common kanji-kana variant of the same word; recognize it, but choose 待ちかねる when writing.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto wait impatiently for
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 待ち兼ねる（まちかねる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 待ち兼ねます（まちかねます） |
| Negative (nai) | 待ち兼ねない（まちかねない） |
| polite (masen) | 待ち兼ねません（まちかねません） |
| classical zu / nu | 待ち兼ねず・待ち兼ねぬ（まちかねず・まちかねぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 待ち兼ねた（まちかねた） |
| polite (mashita) | 待ち兼ねました（まちかねました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 待ち兼ねなかった（まちかねなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 待ち兼ねませんでした（まちかねませんでした） |
| Te form | 待ち兼ねて（まちかねて） |
| Potential | 待ち兼ねられる（まちかねられる） |
| Passive | 待ち兼ねられる（まちかねられる） |
| Causative | 待ち兼ねさせる（まちかねさせる） |
| Causative passive | 待ち兼ねさせられる（まちかねさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 待ち兼ねれば（まちかねれば） |
| tara | 待ち兼ねたら（まちかねたら） |
| Volitional | 待ち兼ねよう（まちかねよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 待ち兼ねましょう（まちかねましょう） |
| Imperative | 待ち兼ねろ（まちかねろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym待ち遠しいまちどおしいNeutralAn adjective for longing for something to come soon; in effect a near-synonym of the headword, stressing how long the wait feels.
- Synonym待ち望むまちのぞむNeutralA verb for eager longing; in effect a near-synonym of the headword, which carries the stronger anxious feeling of being unable to wait.
- Synonym待ち焦がれるまちこがれるNeutralTo long anxiously for something, with a feeling of yearning, as in 「春を待ち焦がれる」.
- Related期待きたいNeutralA noun for expectation, as in 「期待に応える」; unlike the headword it does not stress impatience with waiting.
- Related待ち受けるまちうけるNeutralTo await what lies ahead, as in 「困難が待ち受ける」; it carries no sense of impatience.
- Related楽しみに待つたのしみにまつNeutralTo wait full of happy expectation, looking forward with pleasure; no impatience implied.
Use 「待ちかねる」 for waiting impatiently, unable to wait any longer, as in 「待ちかねたように飛び出す」. For eager longing choose 「待ち望む」 or 「待ち焦がれる」; 「楽しみに待つ」 is cheerful anticipation and 「待ち受ける」 carries no impatience.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
