“ni atai suru / shinai” Meaning — Worth 〜 / Not Worth 〜 [JLPT N2]

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

“Worth seeing,” “a trustworthy person” — meeting the level of deserving something, with examples. (JLPT N2)

「彼の努力は、尊敬に値する」 — measuring up, deserving a certain treatment

Appraising a person, 「彼の長年の努力は、尊敬に値する」 (his years of effort deserve respect) — 「に値する・に値しない」 = be worth ～／not worth ～, meaning someone or something has reached the level of ‘deserving a certain treatment' (deserving respect, worth a read, worth examining). It's an advanced expression for formal, written, critical settings. This guide covers its attachment (particle に, verb dictionary form), that it applies to both positive and negative, and how to tell it from 「価値がある」「甲斐がある.」

Core: measuring up, deserving a certain treatment

「noun（／verb dictionary form）＋ に値する」 means “on reflection, someone/something measures up, deserves a certain treatment”:

• 尊敬に値する (deserves respect), 称賛に値する (deserves praise), 一読に値する (worth a read), 検討に値する (worth examining).
• Verb: この作品は論ずるに値する (this work is worth discussing).
• The negative 「に値しない」 = not worth: そんな噂は、議論するに値しない (such a rumor isn't worth discussing).

Feel: “be worth ～, deserve ～” — the core carries an evaluative, weighing sense: on judgment, deeming someone/something to measure up, deserve a certain treatment (respect, praise, examination, a read…). It's a formal, solemn evaluative term.

Forms & attachment

Examples in context

• この論文は、高い評価に値する。(This paper deserves high evaluation.)
• 彼女の勇気ある行動は、称賛に値する。(Her brave action deserves praise.)
• その提案は、十分検討するに値する。(That proposal is well worth examining.)
• 彼の裏切り行為は、非難に値する。(His betrayal deserves censure.) — negative
• そんなくだらない噂は、一顧に値しない。(Such a silly rumor isn't worth a glance.) — negative form

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① Attachment: noun ＋ 「に」 (not を); verbs take the dictionary form (not ます-form/て-form). Two attachment points. ① nouns take 「に,」 not 「を」: ○ 検討に値する (worth examining) / × 検討をに値する, × 検討を値する (using を is wrong). It's “(abstract noun) ＋ に ＋ 値する,” the particle fixed as 「に.」 ② verbs take the dictionary form, not the ます-form or て-form: ○ 論ずるに値する (dictionary form, worth discussing) / × 論じに値する (ます-form wrong), × 論じてに値する (て-form wrong). With a verb, use the dictionary form ＋ に値する directly. Mnemonic: noun ＋ に値する／verb dictionary form ＋ に値する (particle に, verb dictionary form).

② Applies to both positive and negative evaluation, not just praise. 「に値する」 isn't limited to positive praise (尊敬・称賛・評価に値する = deserving respect/praise/evaluation); it also often attaches to negative-evaluation nouns (非難・軽蔑・処罰・死に値する), meaning “deserving a certain (negative) treatment”: 非難に値する (deserving censure), 軽蔑に値する (deserving contempt), その罪は極刑に値する (that crime deserves the death penalty). So 「に値する」's core is “measuring up, deserving a certain treatment,” and that “treatment” can be positive (respect, praise) or negative (censure, punishment). Don't think “worth” is only for good things — the negative “deserving ～” also uses 「に値する.」 Test: “(on reflection) measures up to being treated with ～,” positive or negative, uses に値する.

③ 「に値する」 vs 「価値がある」 vs 「甲斐がある」: formal evaluation vs objective value vs reward for effort. These three all touch “worth, value,” but differ. 「に値する」 = be worth ～, deserve ～ (formal evaluation, precedes an abstract noun): measured to deserve a certain treatment, formal/written: 尊敬に値する (deserves respect). 「価値がある」 = has value, worth it (objective, general): objectively valuable, speech or writing: この本は読む価値がある (this book is worth reading). 「甲斐がある」 = worth it, not wasted (the emotion of effort winning a payoff, see 〈甲斐がある〉): hardship rewarded, with feeling: 頑張った甲斐があった (the effort wasn't wasted). Difference: 「に値する」 leans formal evaluation “deserving a certain treatment” (尊敬・非難); 「価値がある」 leans objective “has value”; 「甲斐がある」 leans the emotion “(my) effort was rewarded.” Test: for formal criticism “worth ～ (measures up)” use に値する; for objective “has value” use 価値がある; for “effort wasn't wasted” use 甲斐がある. (There's also the N1 「に堪（た）える」 = withstand ～, hold up to ～, e.g. 「鑑賞に堪える = holds up to appreciation,」 slightly different from 「鑑賞に値する = worth appreciating」: worth vs holds up.)

🔄 Compare: に値する／価値がある／に足る／甲斐がある

💡 The one thing to remember

「に値する・に値しない」 = be worth ～／not worth ～ (measuring up, deserving a certain treatment), an advanced expression for formal, book-review, critical settings — three points: ① attachment — noun ＋ 「に」 (not を), verb takes the dictionary form (論ずるに値する, not ます-form/て-form); ② applies to both positive and negative — not just praise (尊敬に値する), but also the negative “deserving ～” (非難に値する = deserving censure); ③ separate it from relatives — 「価値がある」 is objective “has value” (general), 「甲斐がある」 is the emotion “effort wasn't wasted” (see 〈甲斐がある〉), 「に値する」 is formal evaluation “deserving a certain treatment.” What precedes is mostly an abstract noun (尊敬・評価・一読・検討・非難). To solemnly say “worth ～” in a book/film review or a person's appraisal, 「に値する」 gives the sentence weight.

❓ Questions you might have

Q: For 「に値する,」 does a noun take 「を」 or 「に」? What form does a verb take?

Nouns take 「に」 (not を), verbs take the dictionary form (not ます-form/て-form). This is 「に値する」's attachment rule, both often erred. ① noun ＋ 「に」 値する: with an abstract noun, the particle is fixed as 「に,」 can't be 「を」: ○ 尊敬に値する (deserves respect), ○ 検討に値する (worth examining), ○ 一読に値する (worth a read) / × 検討を値する, × 尊敬をに値する (using を is wrong). Learners, influenced by the Chinese “worth ‘respect'” object sense, tempt 「を,」 but Japanese is fixed as “(noun) に値する.” ② verb dictionary form ＋ に値する: with a verb, use the dictionary form (plain form), not the ます-form or て-form: ○ 論ずるに値する (worth discussing), ○ 検討するに値する (worth examining), ○ 一読するに値する / × 論じに値する (ます-form wrong), × 論じてに値する (て-form wrong), × 読みに値する (ます-form wrong). With a verb, use the dictionary form ＋ に値する directly. So the rule: abstract noun ＋ に ＋ 値する; verb dictionary form ＋ に値する. Remember “particle に, verb dictionary form” and you won't misattach. Common abstract nouns: 尊敬・称賛・評価・検討・一読・信頼・同情・非難・軽蔑, etc. (mostly “a treatment given on reflection”).

Q: 「に値する」 and 「価値がある」 both mean ‘worth, has value' — what's the difference?

The difference is register (formal evaluation vs objective general) and attachment. 「〜に値する」 = worth ～, deserve ～ (formal, written, evaluative): with an evaluative, weighing sense, meaning “on judgment, someone/something measures up, deserves a certain treatment,” preceding an abstract noun (尊敬・称賛・検討・一読・非難) or verb dictionary form, for formal, written, critical settings (book/film reviews, appraisals, proposal review): 彼の功績は高く評価するに値する (his achievements deserve high evaluation), この論文は一読に値する (this paper is worth a read). It gives the sentence weight, formality. 「〜価値がある」 = has value, worth it (objective, general): objectively saying “has value, worth it,” usable in speech or writing, the most general: この本は読む価値がある (this book is worth reading), 一度は行く価値がある (worth going once), 議論する価値もない (not even worth debating). It's more general, casual than 「に値する.」 Test: formal criticism, wanting to solemnly say “worth ～ (measures up)” → に値する (precedes an abstract noun, written); general speech/writing “has value, worth it” → 価値がある (general). E.g. a review 「この作品は熟読に値する (this work is worth close reading — formal evaluation)」 uses に値する; everyday 「この映画、見る価値あるよ (this movie's worth watching — colloquial)」 uses 価値がある. In short, 「に値する」 is the formal, critical version of 「価値がある,」 preceding an abstract noun, solemn in tone. Also, 「に値する」 can take a negative (非難に値する = deserving censure), a feature of its “deserving a certain treatment (incl. negative).”

🖊️ Practice Quiz

Q1. 「彼の長年の努力は、尊敬___。」(deserves respect)

(A) に値する　(B) に過ぎない　(C) どころではない　(D) にすぎる

Q2. What tends to come before 「に値する」?

(A) Abstract nouns like 評価・称賛・尊敬・一読　(B) Food　(C) A place　(D) Time

Q3. What does 「議論するに値しない」 mean?

(A) Not worth discussing

(B) Must be discussed

(C) Already discussed

(D) Wants to discuss

Q4. What does 「に値する」 mean?

(A) To be worth 〜 / have the value of 〜

(B) Merely / nothing more than

(C) Might happen

(D) Have no choice but to

Q5. Which connection is correct?

(A) 検討に値する提案だ。　(B) 検討をに値する。

(C) 検討なに値する。　(D) 検討してに値する。

Answer Key

1. (A) に値する ── deserves respect.

2. (A) ── often abstract nouns like 評価・称賛.

3. (A) ── not worth discussing.

4. (A) ── to be worth / have value.

5. (A) ── 「検討に値する」 is correct.