名めい状じょうしがたい

め

い

じょ

う

し

が

た

い

Meanings

1

expression, i-adjective

indescribable; inexpressible; beyond description

Used for something so extraordinary, strange, or intense that it cannot be put into words. Often appears in literary or emphatic contexts.

その景色けしきは名めい状じょうしがたい美うつくしさだった。
The scenery was of an indescribable beauty.
彼かれの表ひょう情

じょう

に

は

名めい

状じょう

し

がたい

不ふ

安あん

が

浮う

かん

で

い

た

。

An inexpressible unease showed on his face.

Written forms

名めい状じょうしがたい
Standard spelling using がたい for 'difficult to'.
名めい状じょうし難がたい
Kanji spelling for がたい; less common but still seen.

Kanji

名name, noted, distinguished
状status quo, conditions, circumstances
難difficult, impossible, trouble

Similar words

言いい表あらわせない
More colloquial and direct; 名状しがたい is more literary and emphasizes the impossibility of describing something with words.
筆ひつ舌ぜつに尽つくしがたい
Even more formal and emphatic, literally 'difficult to exhaust with brush and tongue'; used in very serious or dramatic contexts.

Etymology

Compound of 名状 (めいじょう, 'description in words') + し (continuative of する) + がたい ('difficult to'). The form がたい is a classical auxiliary adjective meaning 'hard to do', attached to the continuative form of verbs.