JLPT N1 grammar
〜きらいがある — Meaning & Examples
"Have a (mildly critical) tendency to..." 彼は大げさに言うきらいがある = he tends to exaggerate. Written/formal, softly disapproving.
〜きらいがある — "Have a Tendency To..."
きらいがある points out a recurring, slightly negative tendency — a habit or trait the speaker views with mild disapproval.
Pattern: [verb dictionary form／noun + の] + きらいがある
彼は物事を大げさに言うきらいがある。
= He has a tendency to exaggerate things.
この資料は専門用語に偏るきらいがある。
= This material tends to lean too heavily on technical jargon.
若い頃は何でも一人で抱え込むきらいがあった。
= When I was young, I had a tendency to shoulder everything alone.
Register: Written and formal spoken critique — reviews, evaluations, gentle character assessments.
Key feeling: A raised-eyebrow observation, softly critical — not a flaw stated bluntly, but a pattern noted with restraint.
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on 〜きらいがある. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 「彼は物事を大げさに言うきらいがある。」 means?
- He has a tendency to exaggerate things
- He never exaggerates
- He is forbidden from exaggerating
- He exaggerated once
Show answer
Answer: He has a tendency to exaggerate things
きらいがある = have a (mildly critical) tendency to... — a recurring trait noted with soft disapproval.
2. この資料は専門用語に偏るきらいがある。 register is best described as?
- Very casual slang
- A command
- A compliment with no criticism
- Written/formal, softly critical evaluation
Show answer
Answer: Written/formal, softly critical evaluation
きらいがある is typically used in written, formal evaluations — noting a tendency with restrained, mild disapproval.
Practise 〜きらいがある in the free app
This point is part of the “Tendency, Seeming & In Passing — きらいがある・めく・がてら・ながら(に)して” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N1 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N1 grammar points
From the same lesson: Tendency, Seeming & In Passing — きらいがある・めく・がてら・ながら(に)して
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜きらいがある mean?
"Have a (mildly critical) tendency to..." 彼は大げさに言うきらいがある = he tends to exaggerate. Written/formal, softly disapproving.
Is 〜きらいがある on the JLPT N1 test?
〜きらいがある is taught in the JLPT N1 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Tendency, Seeming & In Passing — きらいがある・めく・がてら・ながら(に)して”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜きらいがある?
Open the “Tendency, Seeming & In Passing — きらいがある・めく・がてら・ながら(に)して” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N1 mock exams, with no ads.