What does 〜kirai ga aru mean and how do you use it?

「すぐ人に頼るきらいがある」 — names a tendency, and always an unwelcome one. This lesson explains the meaning, connection rules, example sentences and common mistakes.

Does this JLPT N1 grammar lesson include practice questions?

Yes. It includes JLPT-style practice questions with detailed English explanations, so you can self-study for JLPT N1 for free.

“〜kirai ga aru”: Have a (Bad) Tendency to 〜 [JLPT N1]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「すぐ人に頼るきらいがある」 — names a tendency, and always an unwelcome one.

「彼は物事を悲観的に考えるきらいがある」 — has a (bad) tendency, a failing

To point out that someone “has a not-so-good tendency,” 「彼は物事を悲観的に考えるきらいがある」 (he has a tendency to think about things pessimistically) — 「〜きらいがある」 = have a (bad) tendency to ～, used to point out that someone／something “has a (usually negative) tendency, failing.” A caution: the 「きらい」 here is not 「嫌い (dislike)」 but “tendency.” This guide covers its use, this false-friend trap, and separating it from 「がちだ」「傾向がある.」

Core: point out a (negatively-directed) tendency, a failing

「verb dictionary form／ない-form (noun の) ＋きらいがある」 means “have a (negatively-directed) tendency to ～” — pointing out that someone／something “has a (usually negative, undesirable) tendency, failing,” with a critical, censuring flavor:

最近の若者は、努力を軽視するきらいがある (young people these days tend to make light of effort).
彼女は、何でも一人で抱え込むきらいがある (she has a tendency to shoulder everything alone).
現代人は、便利さを求めすぎるきらいがある (modern people tend to seek convenience too much).

Feel: the core is “a (character／habit) bad tendency, a failing” — pointing out that someone has a “(unconsciously) leans in some (bad) direction” disposition. ⚠️The 「きらい」 here is not 「dislike (嫌い)」 but “tendency, disposition” (written 「嫌い」 in kanji but meaning tendency). What precedes is mostly a “(bad) behavioral tendency”: 悲観的に考える・軽視する・決めつける・忘れる. It corresponds to “have a tendency to ～, have a failing of ～, be apt to ～.”

Attachment & forms

Preceding	Form	Example
verb dictionary form／ない-form	＋きらいがある	決めつけるきらいがある（has a tendency to jump to conclusions）
noun	＋の＋きらいがある	独断のきらいがある（tends towards being high-handed）

See it in context

彼は、自分の非を認めたがらないきらいがある。(He has a tendency to be unwilling to admit his own faults.)
この会社は、前例を重んじすぎるきらいがある。(This company tends to over-value precedent.)
優秀な人ほど、完璧を求めすぎるきらいがある。(The more capable someone is, the more they tend to over-seek perfection.)
彼女の文章は、やや説明が長くなるきらいがある。(Her writing tends to have explanations run a bit long.)
現代の教育は、暗記に偏るきらいがある。(Modern education tends to lean toward rote memorization.)

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① ⭐「きらい」 is not 「dislike (嫌い)」 but “tendency” (the false-friend trap). This is the most lethal misreading. The 「きらい」 in 「〜きらいがある,」 though also written 「嫌い」 in kanji, doesn't mean “dislike” but “tendency, disposition”! So 「悲観的に考えるきらいがある」 is not “has a dislike of thinking pessimistically” but “has a tendency to think pessimistically.” It's a false friend easily misled by the kanji — seeing 「嫌い」 don't reflexively think “dislike”; in the pattern 「〜きらいがある」 it's “tendency.” It corresponds to “have a tendency to ～, have a failing of ～.” Test: 「〜きらいがある」 = “have a (bad) tendency to ～,” unrelated to “dislike.”

② The core is ‘a (negatively-directed) negative tendency, a failing.' 「きらいがある」 isn't a neutral “have a tendency”; it specifically points out a “(usually negative, undesirable) tendency, failing, disposition,” with a critical, tactfully-censuring flavor. What precedes is mostly a “(bad) behavior／character”: 悲観的に考える (apt to be pessimistic), 決めつける (apt to be dogmatic), 軽視する (apt to belittle), 抱え込む (apt to shoulder alone), 偏る (lean). It's often for tactfully criticizing someone's character flaw or some phenomenon's bad tendency. So it's hardly used for “good tendencies” (✗ 前向きに考えるきらいがある is unnatural, since “thinking positively” isn't a “failing”). Test: to tactfully point out (someone's／something's) bad tendency, failing → きらいがある.

③ Division of labor with 「がちだ」「傾向がある.」 These three all express “tendency,” but differ in feel. 「〜きらいがある」 = have a (bad) tendency, failing (written, critical, mostly a character／attitude negative disposition): 決めつけるきらいがある (apt to be dogmatic). 「〜がちだ」 = apt to ～, tend to ～ (mostly negative, more colloquial, for easily falling into some state／doing some behavior, see 〈がちだ〉): 忘れがちだ (apt to forget), 休みがちだ (often absent), 遅れがちだ (often late). 「〜傾向がある」 = have a tendency to ～ (neutral, positive or negative, more objective): 増加する傾向がある (has an increasing tendency), 太る傾向がある. Difference: 「きらいがある」 leans “a (character／attitude) failing” (critical, written); 「がちだ」 leans “apt to ～／tend to ～” (mostly negative, more colloquial, see 〈がちだ〉); 「傾向がある」 is a neutral “have a tendency” (positive or negative, objective). Test: to tactfully criticize “(characterwise) has a failing of ～” → きらいがある; “apt to ～, tend to ～” → がちだ; a neutral, objective “have a tendency to ～” → 傾向がある.

🔄 Compare with similar forms: きらいがある／がちだ／傾向がある／ぎみ

Form	Emphasis	+/−	Example
〜きらいがある	have a (bad) tendency, failing (critical, written)	negative	決めつけるきらいがある（has a tendency to jump to conclusions）
〜がちだ	apt to ～, tend to ～	mostly negative	忘れがちだ
〜傾向がある	have a tendency to ～ (objective)	neutral	増える傾向がある（shows an upward trend）
〜ぎみ	a bit ～, slightly ～ (a tendency)	mostly negative	風邪ぎみ

💡 An exam judgment tip

「〜きらいがある」 = have a (bad) tendency to ～ — three points: ①⭐「きらい」 is not 「dislike (嫌い)」 but “tendency” — the false friend most easily misled by the kanji; ② the core is “a (negatively-directed) negative tendency, a failing,” with tactful criticism (決めつけるきらいがある = apt to be dogmatic), hardly used for good tendencies; ③ division of labor with 「がちだ (apt to ～, see 〈がちだ〉)／傾向がある (neutral).」 This pattern is an elevated written, tactful-criticism expression — to point out someone's character flaw or a phenomenon's bad tendency, 「〜きらいがある」 is more tactful and measured than bluntly saying 「〜が悪い.」 To tactfully say “(someone／something) has a failing, tendency of ～,” 「〜きらいがある」 is spot-on (but remember 「きらい = tendency,」 not dislike).

❓ Common questions

Q: Does 「悲観的に考えるきらいがある」 mean ‘has a dislike of thinking pessimistically'?

No! The 「きらい」 here is ‘tendency,' not ‘dislike' — the most typical kanji false-friend trap. The 「きらい」 of 「〜きらいがある,」 though written 「嫌い」 in kanji (same character as “dislike”), means “tendency, disposition” in this pattern, entirely unrelated to “dislike.” So 「悲観的に考えるきらいがある」 = “has a tendency to think about things pessimistically” (a thinking failing), not “has a dislike of thinking pessimistically” (a complete misreading). Likewise: 「決めつけるきらいがある」 = “has a tendency to be dogmatic” (not “dislikes being dogmatic”), 「忘れっぽいところがある人は、大事なことも忘れるきらいがある」 = “tends to forget even important things.” Why does 「嫌い」 carry the sense “tendency”? — it's an old, extended use of 「嫌い」 (「きらい」 originally also meant “distinction, differentiation,” extended to “a (directed) disposition, tendency”), and in modern Japanese 「〜きらいがある」 is a fixed pattern specifically for “(bad) tendency.” Test: on seeing 「〜きらいがある,」 always read it as “have a (bad) tendency to ～, a failing,” never applying the “dislike” meaning. This is a false friend to definitely remember at N1 — 「きらいがある」 = “have a tendency to ～,” unrelated to liking or disliking.

Q: 「きらいがある」 and 「がちだ」 both express ‘tendency' — how do I tell them apart?

The difference is ‘a (character／attitude) failing' vs ‘apt to become ～／tend to ～,' and register. 「〜きらいがある」 = have a (bad) tendency, failing (written, tactful criticism, mostly a character／attitude negative disposition): it specifically points out that “someone (in character, thinking, attitude) has a bad tendency, failing,” with a “tactful criticism, censure” flavor, more written, formal: 彼は人を見下すきらいがある (he tends to look down on people — criticizing character), この計画は理想に走りすぎるきらいがある (this plan tends to be too idealistic — censuring a flaw). It mostly takes “(bad) character／attitude behaviors” (見下す・決めつける・偏る), and is more written. 「〜がちだ」 = apt to ～, tend to ～ (mostly negative, more colloquial, easily falling into some state／doing some behavior): it means “(unconsciously, frequently) easily fall into some state, or tend to do some behavior,” more colloquial, everyday, the focus on “high frequency, easy occurrence”: 疲れていると、ミスしがちだ (when tired, apt to make mistakes), 冬は家にこもりがちだ (in winter, apt to stay cooped up at home), 初心者にありがちなミス (mistakes common among beginners, see 〈がちだ〉). It mostly takes “easily-occurring states／behaviors” (忘れ・遅れ・休み・こもり), and is more colloquial. Difference: 「きらいがある」 leans “a (character／attitude) failing” (critical, written, a disposition); 「がちだ」 leans “apt to ～／tend to ～” (mostly negative, more colloquial, a frequently-occurring state／behavior). Test: to tactfully criticize (someone's character／attitude) failing of ～ → きらいがある (written); to say “apt to ～, tend to ～ (frequently occurring)” → がちだ (colloquial, see 〈がちだ〉). E.g. 「彼は物事を悲観的に見るきらいがある (he tends to see things pessimistically — a character failing, written)」 uses きらいがある; 「疲れると、つい甘い物を食べがちだ (when tired, apt to eat sweets — an easily-occurring behavior, colloquial)」 uses がちだ. One is “a (character) bad tendency,” one is “apt to do some behavior.”