“〜ni katakunai”: Not Hard to 〜 / Easy to Imagine (double negative, written) [JLPT N1]

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

Using a double negative to say something is easy to imagine or understandable

「彼の苦労は想像に難くない」 — not hard to imagine, easy to appreciate

To considerately express “I can fully appreciate (another's hardship／feelings),” written Japanese uses an understated double-negative — 「一人で子供を育てた彼女の苦労は、想像に難くない (the hardship of her raising a child alone is not hard to imagine).」 「〜に難くない」 = not hard to ～, easy to ～ (imagine／understand／appreciate). It uses the double negative “not hard” to understatedly express empathy. This guide clarifies its core of “double negative ＋ empathy,” the imagining-type verbs it takes, separating it from the colloquial 「やすい」 and the negative 「がたい.」

Core: not hard to ～ (imagine／understand／appreciate) (understatedly expressing “easy” via double negative)

「verb dictionary form ＋ に難くない（にかたくない）」 means “not hard to ～, easy to ～” — using the double negative “難い (hard) → 難くない (not hard),” understatedly expressing “very easy to (imagine／understand／appreciate),” often with a tone of consideration, empathy:

• 彼の悔しさは、察するに難くない (his frustration is not hard to appreciate).
• 事故の悲惨さは、想像に難くない (the accident's misery is not hard to imagine).
• あの状況で彼が焦ったのも、推測するに難くない (that he panicked in that situation is not hard to surmise either).

Feel: the core is “(because ～,) not hard to imagine／understand／appreciate = very easy to picture.” It uses a double negative (難くない = not hard) to understatedly express “easy,” more understated, refined, cultured than the colloquial 「想像しやすい,」 often with consideration, empathy (another's hardship not hard to imagine, feelings fully understandable). It mostly takes 想像する／察する／推測する／理解する — “imagine, discern” type verbs. Its reading is 「にかたくない」 (難 = かた). In English: not hard to ～, not hard to imagine, easy to appreciate, one can well imagine.

How it attaches

Examples in use

• 被災者の心痛は、想像に難くない。(The disaster victims' heartache is not hard to imagine.)
• 長年の努力が実った時の喜びは、察するに難くない。(The joy when years of effort bear fruit is not hard to appreciate.)
• 彼が反対する理由は、理解するに難くない。(His reason for opposing is not hard to understand.)
• あの発言が波紋を呼んだことは、想像に難くないだろう。(That the remark caused a stir is not hard to imagine, surely.)
• 突然の解雇に、彼が動揺したことは推測に難くない。(That he was shaken by the sudden dismissal is not hard to surmise.)

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① The core is ‘understatedly expressing “easy (to imagine／understand)” via a double negative,' with empathy. This is 「に難くない」's core feel. On the surface it's “難くない (not hard),” but its actual meaning is “very easy to (imagine／understand／appreciate)” — using the double negative “難い (hard) → 難くない (not hard)” to understatedly express “easy.” It often carries a clear consideration, empathy tone — “(putting myself in their shoes,) I can fully imagine／appreciate another's hardship／feelings”: 彼の苦労は想像に難くない (his hardship is not hard to imagine = I can fully imagine his hardship — with empathy). Test: to understatedly, empathetically say “(another's ～) not hard to imagine／understand／appreciate” → に難くない.

② Reading 「にかたくない」; mostly with imagining-type verbs like 想像／察する／推測. In reading, 「難くない」 is read 「かたくない」 (難 = かた, not 「むずかしくない」). In attachment, it mostly takes ‘imagine, discern' type verbs — 想像する (imagine)／察する (discern)／推測する (surmise)／理解する (understand)／予想する (anticipate): 想像するに難くない (not hard to imagine), 察するに難くない (not hard to appreciate). It's specifically for “(some situation／someone's feelings,) not hard to imagine／surmise／discern.” Test: 「〜に難くない」 is read 「にかたくない,」 mostly preceded by 想像／察する／推測 (imagining-type verbs).

③ Separate it from 「やすい」 — に難くない is written, understated (with empathy), やすい is colloquial, plain. Both express “easy to ～,” differing in register and understatement. 「〜に難くない」 = not hard to ～ (written, refined, understated, with empathy, mostly with imagining-type verbs): 想像に難くない (not hard to imagine — using a double negative, understated, cultured). It's more written, understated, cultured, often with a considerate, empathetic tone, mostly for commentary, condolence, discourse. 「〜やすい」 = easy to ～ (colloquial, plain, see 〈やすい〉): 想像しやすい (easy to imagine — directly saying “easy,” colloquial), 分かりやすい (easy to understand). It's a more colloquial, plain “easy,” directly saying something is easy to do, without special understatement. Difference: 「に難くない」 written, understated, with empathy (the double negative “not hard”); 「やすい」 colloquial, plain (directly saying “easy,” see 〈やすい〉). Test: to understatedly, refinedly, empathetically say “not hard (to imagine)” → に難くない; to generally, colloquially say “easy (to imagine／understand)” → やすい.

④ Separate it from 「がたい」 — 難くない = not hard (easy), がたい = hard to (see 〈がたい〉). These are an opposite pair. 「〜に難くない」 = not hard to ～ (= easy, affirmative): 想像に難くない (not hard to imagine = easy to imagine). It's the negative of 「難い」 (難くない = not hard). 「〜がたい」 = hard to ～ (= very hard, see 〈がたい〉): 信じがたい (hard to believe = very hard to believe), 想像しがたい (hard to imagine). It's 「難い」 in the affirmative “very hard” (see 〈がたい〉). Difference: 「に難くない」 = not hard to ～ (easy, the negative of 難い); 「がたい」 = hard to ～ (very hard, see 〈がたい〉). Test: to say “not hard (to imagine) = easy” → に難くない; to say “hard to (believe／imagine) = very hard” → がたい. They're exact opposites: 想像に難くない (not hard to imagine) ↔ 想像しがたい (hard to imagine).

🔄 Compare with similar forms: に難くない／やすい／がたい／想像がつく

💡 The one thing to remember

「〜に難くない」 = not hard to ～, easy to ～ (imagine／understand／appreciate) — three points: ① the core is ‘understatedly expressing “easy” via a double negative' — 難い (hard) → 難くない (not hard), understatedly saying “very easy to imagine／appreciate,” with clear consideration, empathy (彼の苦労は想像に難くない = not hard to imagine his hardship); ② read にかたくない, mostly with 想像／察する／推測 (imagining-type verbs); ③ separate it from 「やすい (colloquial, plain, see 〈やすい〉)」「がたい (hard to, the antonym, see 〈がたい〉)」. This expression has a real understated, cultured, empathetic flavor — 「想像に難くない」 is more refined and considerate than the colloquial 「想像しやすい,」 often for commentary, condolence (expressing empathy for another's plight). To understatedly, refinedly say “(I can fully appreciate,) not hard to imagine,” 「に難くない」 is spot-on; for everyday speech, use 「想像しやすい／想像がつく.」

❓ Quick FAQ

Q: Why is 「想像に難くない」 ‘not hard to imagine'? Isn't 「難くない」 ‘not hard'?

Yes, 「難くない」 = ‘not hard,' and 「想像に難くない」 = ‘not hard to imagine = very easy to imagine' — it uses a ‘double negative' to understatedly express ‘easy.' This is where it's understated. Unpacked: 「難い（かたい／がたい）」 = “hard, difficult,” and its negative 「難くない（かたくない）」 = “not hard.” So 「想像に難くない」 = “(to imagine) not hard” = “very easy to imagine, one can well imagine.” It doesn't directly say “easy (やすい),” but uses “not hard (難くない),” a double negative (hard ＋ negation), to understatedly express “easy” — this “‘not ＋ hard' instead of ‘easy'” phrasing is more refined, cultured, resonant than directly saying “easy,” often with a considerate, empathetic tone. Like the English “not hard to imagine, one can well imagine,” it too understatedly says “very easy to imagine.” So 「彼の苦労は想像に難くない」 = “his hardship is not hard to imagine = (putting myself in his shoes) I can fully imagine his hardship” (with empathy). Test: 「〜に難くない」 = “not hard to ～ = very easy to ～” (a double negative for “easy”); don't see 「ない」 and assume “not easy” — it's “not ‘hard' (= easy),” not “not ‘easy.'”

Q: What's the difference between 「想像に難くない」 and 「想像しやすい」?

Close in meaning (both “easy to imagine”), differing in ‘register, understatement, empathy.' 「〜に難くない」 = not hard to ～ (written, refined, understated, with empathy): 「想像に難くない」 uses a double negative (難くない = not hard) to understatedly express “easy to imagine,” more written, understated, cultured, resonant, and often with a clear considerate, empathetic tone — mostly for commentary, condolence, expressing “I can fully appreciate” another's plight, feelings: 戦争を経験した世代の思いは、想像に難くない (the feelings of the generation that lived through war are not hard to imagine — understated, empathetic, solemn). It gives a delicate, cultured, considerate impression. 「〜やすい」 = easy to ～ (colloquial, plain, see 〈やすい〉): 「想像しやすい」 directly says “easy to imagine,” more colloquial, plain, direct, without special understatement or empathy, just plainly stating “this is easy to imagine”: この例えは想像しやすい (this analogy is easy to imagine — plain, neutral). Difference: 「に難くない」 written, understated, with empathy (the understated double negative, for commentary, condolence); 「やすい」 colloquial, plain (directly saying easy, see 〈やすい〉). Test: to understatedly, refinedly, empathetically say “not hard to imagine (I can fully appreciate)” → に難くない (想像に難くない); to generally, colloquially, plainly say “easy to imagine” → やすい (想像しやすい). So in condolence, commentary, expressing empathy for another's plight, use 「想像に難くない」; for everyday “this is easy to imagine,” use 「想像しやすい.」

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「被災者の苦しみは、察する___。」（not hard to imagine）

(A) に難くない　(B) に堪えない　(C) に当たらない　(D) を禁じ得ない

Q2. 「に難くない」とよく接するのは?

(A) 想像する・察する・推測する　(B) 食べる・飲む　(C) 走る・歩く　(D) 開ける・閉める

Q3. 「想像に難くない」の意味は?

(A) Not hard to imagine

(B) Impossible to imagine

(C) Won't imagine

(D) Imagining is very hard

Q4. 「に難くない」の意味は?

(A) Not hard to ~ (easily able to)

(B) Hard to ~

(C) Can't but

(D) Merely

Q5. 接法が正しいのは?

(A) 推察するに難くない。　(B) 推察を難くない。

(C) 推察してに難くない。　(D) 推察だ難くない。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) に難くない ── Not hard to grasp.

2. (A) ── Often attaches to 想像する/察する/推測する.

3. (A) ── Not hard to imagine.

4. (A) ── Not hard to ~ (easily able to).

5. (A) ── 「推察するに難くない」 is correct.