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    誤解を招きかねない (gokai o manekikanenai - runs the risk of causing misunderstanding)

    Grammar & Usage

    phrase / verbal expression
    formal

    How it works

    Formed by combining the noun '誤解' (misunderstanding) with the object marker 'を', followed by the stem of the verb '招く' (maneku, to invite/cause) and the auxiliary suffix '〜かねない' (kanenai). The suffix 〜かねない attaches to the masu-stem of verbs to express a high possibility of an undesirable outcome, functioning grammatically like an i-adjective. Although it ends in the negative '-ない', the meaning is affirmative ('might well / easily could').

    Sample sentences

    そのような曖昧な表現は誤解を招きかねないため、修正してください。

    Please revise that phrasing, as such vague wording runs the risk of causing misunderstanding.

    前後の文脈を無視して引用すると、読者に誤解を招きかねない。

    Quoting it out of context could easily cause readers to misunderstand.

    大臣の不用意な発言は、国民の誤解を招きかねない危険なものだった。

    The minister's careless remark was dangerous, as it ran the risk of causing misunderstandings among the public.

    Quick facts

    nuance:Specifically implies concern about a negative, undesirable consequence (cannot be used for positive outcomes)
    structure:誤解 (noun) + を (case particle) + 招き (verb stem) + かねない (negative-form auxiliary)
    conjugationType:Behaves like an i-adjective (e.g., 誤解を招きかねなかった, 誤解を招きかねないため)

    Mnemonic

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    Example

    そのような曖昧な表現は誤解を招きかねないため、修正してください。

    Please revise that phrasing, as such vague wording runs the risk of causing misunderstanding.

    前後の文脈を無視して引用すると、読者に誤解を招きかねない。

    Quoting it out of context could easily cause readers to misunderstand.

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