きらいがある

Have a Tendency to

Level 4Sounds Like kiraigaaru

The pattern きらいがある is used to point out a negative trait, habit, or tendency in a person, group, or situation. It carries a nuance of criticism or concern.

How It Works

The word きらい (kanji: 嫌い, though often written in hiragana to avoid confusion with the adjective 'dislike') refers to a 'trace' or 'smack' of something negative. When combined with ある, it functions as 'there is a tendency to...' This is an advanced grammar point commonly tested at the JLPT N1 level.

Key Characteristics:

Negative Nuance: It is almost exclusively used for flaws, bad habits, or problematic trends. Using it for positive traits is incorrect unless you are framing that trait as a weakness (e.g., being 'too kind' to a fault).
Formal Register: This is a high-level pattern typically found in editorials, academic papers, or formal speeches. It is rarely used in casual daily conversation.
Subjectivity & Perspective: It expresses the speaker's critical judgment. While native speakers sometimes use it for objective self-reflection, strict JLPT textbooks and exams often consider first-person usage incorrect, so it is safest to use it when describing others or general trends.
No Natural Phenomena: This pattern cannot be used for objective natural events or weather (e.g., you cannot use it to say 'it tends to rain'). However, it is not limited to human behavior; it can also describe the negative tendencies of inanimate objects, systems, organizations, or abstract concepts (e.g., この本は詳しすぎるきらいがある).
Common Adverbs: It is frequently paired with adverbs like どうも (somehow), やや (a little), 少し (a little), or 少々 (a little) to soften the criticism or indicate a slight leaning.

Grammar Rules:

Verbs: Use the Dictionary Form or Negative Form (e.g., 人の話を聞かないきらいがある). It is also extremely common to pair this pattern with 〜すぎる (e.g., 考えすぎるきらいがある).
Adjectives: While direct attachment to adjectives occurs in real-world usage (e.g., 甘いきらいがある, 複雑なきらいがある), strict JLPT materials typically only teach Verb and Noun connections. Therefore, converting adjectives into a verb phrase using 〜すぎる (e.g., 複雑すぎるきらいがある) is the safest bet for the exam.
Nouns: Use [Noun] + の + きらいがある (e.g., 運動不足（うんどうぶそく）のきらいがある).

Examples (5)

現代人は、何でも効率だけで判断するきらいがある。
Modern people have a tendency to judge everything based solely on efficiency.
Word by Word: Modern people, everything efficiency only by judge tendency exists.
This criticizes a general societal trend using the dictionary form of the verb 'to judge' (判断する).
この新製品は、多機能だが操作が複雑すぎるきらいがある。
This new product is multi-functional, but it tends to be overly complex to operate.
Word by Word: This new product, multi-function is but operation complex too-much tendency exists.
Here, the adjective 'complex' is combined with 〜すぎる to show that the complexity is a flaw, avoiding a direct adjective connection.
彼は人の意見を無視して、独走するきらいがある。
He has a tendency to ignore others' opinions and go off on his own.
Word by Word: He people's opinions ignore and, run-alone tendency exists.
This points out a specific negative personality trait in an individual.
最近の若者は、あまり本を読まないきらいがある。
Young people these days tend not to read books much.
Word by Word: Recent young-people, much books read-not tendency exists.
The negative form (読まない) is used to describe a negative habit of omission.
現代の子供たちは、外で遊ばず運動不足のきらいがある。
Modern children have a tendency to lack exercise by not playing outside.
Word by Word: Modern children, outside at play-without lack-of-exercise's tendency exists.
This demonstrates the noun connection rule using の with the noun 'lack of exercise' (運動不足).

Common Mistakes

Using it for natural phenomena or weather.
この地域は雨が降るきらいがある。
この地域は雨が降りやすい。
きらいがある requires a subject that can be criticized for its 'character' or 'nature.' For objective natural events like rain, use 〜やすい or 〜がち instead.
Using it as a simple compliment for positive traits.
彼女はとても親切なきらいがある。
彼女はとても親切だ。
Because this pattern implies a flaw, using it with 'kind' (親切) suggests that her kindness is actually a problem or a nuisance. If you mean it as a compliment, do not use this pattern.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

きらいがあるLevel 4Have a Tendency to

Learn This First

きらいがある (have a tendency to) is a formal expression used to describe an unwelcome habit or negative leaning. To understand it, you need to know the basic existence verb 'ある' and the subject marker 'が'. Additionally, since the pattern functions by modifying the noun 'きらい' (which here means 'a touch of' or 'a tendency') with a preceding verb or adjective, you must be comfortable with noun modification rules.

Words in This Pattern