渋る|しぶるshiburu[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto be reluctant (to do); to be unwilling (to do); to hesitate (to do); to grudge; to be tardy (in doing); to put off (doing)
- godan verb, intransitive verbto falter; to slacken; to slow down
- godan verb, intransitive verbto have a frequent urge to defecate but difficulty passing stool; to suffer from tenesmus
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 渋る（しぶる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 渋ります（しぶります） |
| Negative (nai) | 渋らない（しぶらない） |
| polite (masen) | 渋りません（しぶりません） |
| classical zu / nu | 渋らず・渋らぬ（しぶらず・しぶらぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 渋った（しぶった） |
| polite (mashita) | 渋りました（しぶりました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 渋らなかった（しぶらなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 渋りませんでした（しぶりませんでした） |
| Te form | 渋って（しぶって） |
| Potential | 渋れる（しぶれる） |
| Passive | 渋られる（しぶられる） |
| Causative | 渋らせる（しぶらせる） |
| Causative passive | 渋らせられる・渋らされる（しぶらせられる・しぶらされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 渋れば（しぶれば） |
| tara | 渋ったら（しぶったら） |
| Volitional | 渋ろう（しぶろう） |
| polite (mashou) | 渋りましょう（しぶりましょう） |
| Imperative | 渋れ（しぶれ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymためらうNeutralEveryday word for hesitating because you cannot make up your mind; unlike 「渋る」 it does not imply reluctance to give money or effort.
- Synonym躊躇ちゅうちょWrittenWritten-style word for hesitation and indecision, more inward than 「渋る」; often seen in phrases like 「躊躇なく」.
- Related尻込みしりごみNeutralBalking or shrinking back out of fear, as in 「尻込みする」; the cause is fright rather than the grudging reluctance of 「渋る」.
- RelatedうじうじCasualColloquial mimetic word for dithering indecisively, with a vague, irritating manner; carries no sense of grudging money or effort.
- Related思い惑うおもいまどうWrittenRare written word for being at a loss after agonising back and forth in your mind; not about reluctance to act or pay.
- Related遅疑ちぎFormalFormal, rare word for hesitating out of doubt and letting things drag on; belongs to writing rather than speech.
- Related逡巡しゅんじゅんFormalFormal word for holding back, unable to bring yourself to act; more about hesitation before action than reluctance over money.
- Related思い迷うおもいまようNeutralBeing unable to make up your mind between options; unlike 「渋る」 it carries no nuance of reluctance or stinginess.
- Antonym進むすすむNeutralAntonym: to move forward or make progress, the opposite of matters stalling the way 「渋る」 describes.
- Antonym乗り気のりきNeutralAntonym: being keen and enthusiastic to do something, the opposite of the reluctance expressed by 「渋る」.
Use 「渋る」 for reluctance: dragging your feet or being loath to spend money or effort, as in 「返事を渋る」「金を出し渋る」. For plain hesitation over a decision, pick 「躊躇う」; for balking out of fear, 「尻込み」. 「躊躇」「思い惑う」「遅疑」「逡巡」 are written or formal, and 「うじうじ」 is colloquial dithering. Antonyms: 「進む」 for progress, 「乗り気」 for eagerness.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
