Meaning
甲斐がある/ない expresses whether an action, effort, or endeavor was worthwhile and achieved meaningful results proportional to the effort invested. 甲斐がある indicates the effort was rewarded with satisfactory outcomes, while 甲斐がない suggests the effort was wasted or produced no meaningful result. It follows the past tense verb form (た-form) or noun + の.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 動詞（た形） | た + 甲斐がある／甲斐がない |
| 名詞 | の + 甲斐がある／甲斐がない |
Examples
-
一生懸命練習をした甲斐があった。
The hard practice paid off. (The effort was worthwhile) -
ここまで頑張ってきた甲斐がない。
All the effort up to this point has been pointless. (The effort was wasted) -
5時間登山した甲斐があって、頂上ですばらしい景色を見ることが出来た。
The 5-hour mountain climb was worth it because we saw a spectacular view at the summit. -
父と話し合いの甲斐がなく、外国人の彼氏との結婚を認めてもらえなかった。
My talk with father was fruitless, and he didn't approve of my marriage to a foreigner. -
全国大会を迎え、坂本選手は「サッカーはわたしの生きがいです。応援してくださった皆様に練習の成果をお見せして、全試合で勝ちたいです。」と語った。
Facing the national tournament, player Sakamoto said: 'Soccer is the meaning of my life. I want to show the results of my training to everyone who supports me and win all the matches.'
Summary
- 甲斐 (kai) means value or significance; 甲斐がある expresses that effort yielded worthwhile results
- Forms: verb (past form) + 甲斐がある/ない or noun + の + 甲斐がある/ない
- 甲斐があって and 甲斐もなく can connect two clauses to show cause-and-effect of whether effort was rewarded