〜だに (~dani) — just ~ing (is enough) / not even ~
Just thinking or remembering is enough to make you shudder — a very stiff form that goes with only a few set words.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- After an earthquake drill a co-worker says: 「満員電車で大地震が来たらと思うと、想像するだにぞっとする」— 'a big quake on a packed train… just imagining it sends a chill through me.'
- It is the language of articles, news and speeches; with a friend, 「考えるだけで怖い」is enough.
Meaning
- It hasn't happened; if merely thinking about it feels like this, what would the real thing be like — that is the feeling of 「〜だに」.
- The meaning is like 「〜だけでも」(even just ~ing), but it sounds very stiff and old.
- The other use is with a negative: 「夢にだに思わなかった」(I never even dreamed of it) — here it is 'even', just like the 「すら」before.
- 「微動だにしない」(not move an inch) is another fixed phrase.
How to attach
- Dictionary form of a few mental verbs — 「想像する・考える・聞く・思い出す」— + 「だに」
- A bad feeling follows: 「恐ろしい・ぞっとする・腹が立つ」.
Watch out
Unlike 「すら」, it does not attach to just any word — nobody says 「食べるだに」or 「行くだに」.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
あの夜の火事のことは、思い出すだに体が震える。
あのよるのかじのことは、おもいだすだにからだがふるえる。
Just remembering the fire that night makes my body shake.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) あの夜の火事 = the fire that night → 思い出す = to remember (dictionary form) → 「だに」 = just remembering it → 体が震える = my body shakes (a bad feeling).
自分の会社が倒産するなんて、考えるだに恐ろしい。
じぶんのかいしゃがとうさんするなんて、かんがえるだにおそろしい。
Just thinking that my own company could go bankrupt is frightening.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 会社が倒産する = the company goes bankrupt → 〜なんて = (surprise / fear) → 考える = to think → 「だに」 = just thinking about it → 恐ろしい = frightening.
日本で自分の店を持てるとは、夢にだに思わなかった。
にほんでじぶんのみせをもてるとは、ゆめにだにおもわなかった。
I never even dreamed I would be able to have my own shop in Japan.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 自分の店を持てる = to be able to have my own shop → 〜とは = (surprise) → 夢に = in a dream → 「だに」 = not even in a dream → then the negative: 思わなかった = never thought.
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「事故の映像は、思い出す＿＿胸が苦しくなる。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: Mental verb (dictionary form) + a bad feeling.
思い出すだに = just remembering. すら can't attach straight to a verb (it needs 〜ことすら); たりとも only follows '一 + counter'; こそあれ only follows nouns.
In which sentence is 「だに」unnatural?
💡 Hint: Is it a mental act? Does a bad feeling follow?
だに goes with a few mental verbs like 想像する・考える・思い出す, followed by a bad feeling. For 'tasty just to eat', say 「食べるだけでおいしい」.
What does 「聞くだに腹が立つ」mean?
💡 Hint: No negative here — 'just hearing it'.
Dictionary form + だに = 〜だけでも: just hearing it makes me angry. The 'not even' meaning only appears when a negative follows, as in 「夢にだに〜ない」.
Your score: /3