余(あま)り～ないNot very, Not much, Not really, Hardly

While both なかなか and あまり～ない express extent, they convey quite contrasting nuances. なかなか is used to underline the intensity or degree of something in a positive context, such as 'very', 'quite', or 'considerably'. On the other hand, あまり～ない is used to indicate a lower degree or scarcity of something, in a negative context, comparable to English phrases like 'not very', 'not much', 'hardly'. Therefore, they are typically used in opposite situations.

The grammar point "あまり～ない" is often used to express a lack of something or indicate that something is not done very much. It tends to have a negative connotation, as it conveys limitations or insufficiencies. On the other hand, "あまり" in the context of "So much...that" is used to describe a situation where something is done to such an extreme extent that it leads to another result or situation. This might be used to express an extreme emotion, action or condition leading to an unanticipated or undesired outcome.

Both あまり～ない and そんなに are used to express a negative degree of something but have slightly different nuances. あまり～ない indicates a less-than-expected degree or a negative aspect of something, often used when something isn't done to a large extent or often. On the other hand, そんなに is used when comparing the degree of something to a certain standard or expectation, often implying dissatisfaction or surprise, as in something isn't as much as it seems or isn't as much as one thought.

"あまり～ない" and "すこしも～ない" are both expressions used to describe something in a negative context, however, they differ in their degree of negation. When using "あまり～ない", it implies that while there is a little or a certain amount of the thing or action, it is not very significant or noticeable. On the other hand, "すこしも～ない" reflects a stronger sense of negation, implying that there is not even a slight degree or small amount of that thing or action in question.

Both 全く～ない and あまり～ない are used to express a negative state in Japanese, but their nuances are different. 全く～ない indicates a complete absence of something, similar to "not at all" in English. On the other hand, あまり～ない expresses a small degree or a lack of something, akin to "not very", "not much", or "hardly" in English. So, if you want to express a total negation, you use 全く～ない, while あまり～ない is used for partial negation.

"なかなか～ない" and "あまり～ない" both express negation in Japanese, but they are used in different contexts. "なかなか～ない" is often used when you have been expecting something to happen or trying to achieve something, but it hasn't happened or you haven't achieved it even after a long time, implying a level of difficulty or resistance. On the other hand, "あまり～ない" conveys simply the lack or scarcity of something, or that something doesn't occur often or to a great extent, without the implication of expectation or effort found in "なかなか～ない".

While both 別に〜ない and あまり〜ない express a negative degree, the key difference lies in their emphasis and context of usage. 別に〜ない is often used to negate something in a strong or dismissive tone, communicating indifference, lack of interest or rejection, such as denying allegations or refuting assumptions. On the contrary, あまり〜ない is more commonly used to express that something isn't done frequently, is not in great quantity, or in a moderate negation, like conveying small amounts or rarity.

"めったに〜ない" and "あまり〜ない" both express the idea of something happening infrequently or not much, however, the degree of rarity differs. "めったに〜ない" conveys something occurs extremely rarely or almost never. On the other hand, "あまり〜ない" indicates it happens somewhat infrequently, but not as strong as "めったに〜ない". Thus, “めったに〜ない” shows a higher degree of infrequency than "あまり〜ない".