～きらいがある
has a tendency to
～きらいがある attaches to a verb in dictionary form (or a noun with の) and means that someone or something has a tendency to do something, usually a tendency the speaker views as undesirable. It maps to English “tends to” or “is apt to”, with a critical undertone.
Despite the spelling, きらい here is not the adjective 嫌い (“dislike”); it is a separate noun meaning “a tendency”. The pattern is formal and common in written commentary and evaluations. Unlike the everyday ～がちだ, which simply notes a frequent occurrence, ～きらいがある frames the tendency as a flaw being pointed out.
Criticizing a habitual leaning
Use ～きらいがある to comment, somewhat formally, on a person's or organization's problematic inclination. It describes general dispositions, not one-time events.
彼は物事を悲観的に考えるきらいがある。
“He has a tendency to think pessimistically.”
- 彼（かれ）= he
- は = topic marker
- 物事（ものごと）= things, matters
- を = object marker
- 悲観的に（ひかんてきに）= pessimistically
- 考える（かんがえる）= to think
- きらいがある = has a tendency to
この会社は伝統を重視しすぎるきらいがある。
“This company tends to place too much weight on tradition.”
- この = this
- 会社（かいしゃ）= company
- は = topic marker
- 伝統（でんとう）= tradition
- を = object marker
- 重視しすぎる（じゅうししすぎる）= to overemphasize
- きらいがある = has a tendency to
How to form it
Verb dictionary form + きらいがある / Noun + の + きらいがある
- 考える（かんがえる）= to think → 考えるきらいがある（かんがえるきらいがある）= tends to think (that way)
- 頼る（たよる）= to rely → 頼るきらいがある（たよるきらいがある）= is apt to rely (on others)
- 悲観（ひかん）= pessimism → 悲観のきらいがある（ひかんのきらいがある）= has a pessimistic streak
Key idea
～きらいがある is a formal way of saying “X has a (regrettable) tendency to...”. Use it to point out an ingrained leaning you think is a problem, not just something that happens often.
Other N1 grammar
Updated .