Grammar › Emphatic Negation
だに — “even just (thinking/hearing of it)”
Says even the mildest version of an experience is already too much
Noun or dictionary-form verb + だに says that even the smallest, mildest version of an experience — just imagining it, just hearing about it — is already overwhelming, usually paired with a strong reaction: 想像するだに恐ろしい (frightening even just to imagine). It's classical and literary, used for emphasis.
How to form it
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Verb (dictionary) + だに | 考えるだに恐ろしい — It's frightening even just to think about |
Example sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| その光景は思い出すだに身震いがする。 | そのこうけいはおもいだすだにみぶるいがする。 sonokoukeihaomoidasudanimiburuigasuru。 | Just remembering that scene sends a shiver through me. |
| 彼が失敗するとは、想像するだにできなかった。 | かれがしっぱいするとは、そうぞうするだにできなかった。 karegashippaisurutoha、souzousurudanidekinakatta。 | That he would fail was something I couldn't even imagine. |
| 一瞬だに気を許すことができなかった。 | いっしゅんだにきをゆるすことができなかった。 isshundanikiwoyurusukotogadekinakatta。 | I couldn't let my guard down, not even for an instant. |
🔊 Tap any Japanese sentence to hear it; kanji link to their study pages.
Watch out
だに is classical and almost always paired with a strong emotional or dramatic reaction (fear, disbelief, vigilance) — it isn't a neutral “even,” and sounds overwrought if used for a mundane statement.