Japanese

ねる

かねる
Meaning: to combine (two or more roles); to serve as both; to be unable to
Part of Speech: Verb, Suffix

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Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present 兼ねる 兼ねない
Polite 兼ねます 兼ねません
Past 兼ねた 兼ねなかった
Polite + Past 兼ねました 兼ねませんでした
Te-form 兼ねて 兼ねなくて
Potential 兼ねられる 兼ねられない
Passive 兼ねられる 兼ねられない
Causative 兼ねさせる 兼ねさせない
Imperative 兼ねろ 兼ねるな

Handwriting

兼
ね
る

Example sentences

This room serves as both a study and a reception room.
大は小を兼ねるという。
They say that the greater serves for the lesser.

Usage Notes

When used as a main verb, it means one thing has multiple functions. As a suffix to the masu-stem of a verb, it indicates difficulty or inability to perform that action.

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