N1 Role, Status, and Evaluation

~には当あたらない: meaning, usage and examples

~には当あたらない means: not worth... / no need to...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 彼かれの行為こういは非難ひなんには当あたらない。

   His actions do not deserve criticism.

2. ただの風邪かぜだから、そんなに心配しんぱいするには当あたらない。

   It's just a cold, so there's no need to worry so much.

3. 新人しんじんがミスをするのは当然とうぜんで、責せめるには当あたらない。

   It's natural for new employees to make mistakes, so there's no reason to blame them.

4. 今回こんかいの値上ねあげは小幅こはばなので、大騒おおさわぎするには当あたらない。

   This price increase is small, so there's no need to make a fuss about it.

When to use it

Says that a reaction is not called for: "there is no need to", "it does not deserve". It is used with verbs of reaction or judgment like 驚おどろく, 心配しんぱいする, 非難ひなんする, 責せめる, 感心かんしんする: 彼かれが優勝ゆうしょうしたのは驚おどろくには当あたらない (it is no surprise that he won). The speaker calms an overreaction.

Nuance

Somewhat formal, used in commentary, editorials and calm advice. It expresses the speaker's reasoned judgment that the reaction is out of proportion. It is not used for the speaker's own actions, and it is not a polite refusal of help (use には及およばない for that).

Compare

には及およばない means "there is no need to" and is often a polite refusal: わざわざ来くるには及およびません (no need to come all this way). には当あたらない judges a reaction as unjustified: 驚おどろくには当あたらない. Compare the form 〜ことはない: 心配しんぱいすることはない, the everyday version of both.

Tip: Pair it with reaction verbs: 驚おどろく, 心配しんぱいする, 責せめる. If the verb is about doing a service or task, use には及およばない instead.