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GRAMMAR
〜兼ねない
might
could
Explanation
NOTE

〜兼かねない means might (well) or could — used when something negative is a real possibility that cannot be ruled out.

そのまま運転うんてんを続つづけると、事故じこを起おこし兼かねない。
If you keep driving like that, you might well cause an accident.
The speaker views the outcome as a worrying, plausible risk — not a certainty.
NOTE

Although the form ends in ない, 〜兼かねない is affirmative in meaning: it expresses could happen, not cannot happen. Compare with 〜兼かねる, which means cannot do.

NOTE

It is typically used for negative, undesirable outcomes — danger, harm, scandal, or trouble. Avoid using it for clearly positive results.

NOTE

Attach 〜兼かねない to the verb masu-stem (食べます → 食べかねない, 言いいます → 言いいかねない).

STRUCTURE
Vます
<ruby>兼<rt>か</rt></ruby>ねない
無理むりをすると、体からだを壊こわし兼かねないよ。
Muri o suru to, karada o kowashikanenai yo.
If you overdo it, you could well ruin your health.
そんな発言はつげんは誤解ごかいを招まねき兼かねない。
Sonna hatsugen wa gokai o manekikanenai.
A remark like that could well invite misunderstanding.
彼かれなら、そんな嘘うそもつき兼かねない。
Kare nara, sonna uso mo tsukikanenai.
If it's him, he might well tell that kind of lie.

Practice exercises

1
その計画けいかくは成功せいこうし難がたいが、無理むりをすれば破綻はたんし破綻はたんしかねない。
That plan is hard to succeed, but if you force it, it might collapse.
Answer
破綻はたんしかねない
2
成功せいこうしっこない計画けいかくでも、無理むりをすれば混乱こんらんを招まねき招まねきかねない。
Even with a plan that has no way of succeeding, if you force it, you might cause confusion.
Answer
招まねきかねない
3
彼かれは勝かてそうにないが、油断ゆだんすると負まけ負まけかねない。
He seems unlikely to win, but if he's careless, he might lose.
Answer
負まけかねない
4
彼かれの発言はつげんは、国際関係こくさいかんけいを悪化あっかさせ悪化あっかさせかねない。
His remarks might worsen international relations.
Answer
悪化あっかさせかねない
5
この不正ふせいを放置ほうちすれば、企業きぎょう全体ぜんたいの信頼しんらいを損そこね損そこねかねない。
If this misconduct is left unchecked, it might damage the entire company's trust.
Answer
損そこねかねない