踏ん張る|ふんばるfunbaru[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto brace one's legs; to stand firm; to plant one's feet (firmly on the ground)
- godan verb, intransitive verbto hold out; to persist; to make an effort; to exert oneself
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 踏ん張る（ふんばる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 踏ん張ります（ふんばります） |
| Negative (nai) | 踏ん張らない（ふんばらない） |
| polite (masen) | 踏ん張りません（ふんばりません） |
| classical zu / nu | 踏ん張らず・踏ん張らぬ（ふんばらず・ふんばらぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 踏ん張った（ふんばった） |
| polite (mashita) | 踏ん張りました（ふんばりました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 踏ん張らなかった（ふんばらなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 踏ん張りませんでした（ふんばりませんでした） |
| Te form | 踏ん張って（ふんばって） |
| Potential | 踏ん張れる（ふんばれる） |
| Passive | 踏ん張られる（ふんばられる） |
| Causative | 踏ん張らせる（ふんばらせる） |
| Causative passive | 踏ん張らせられる・踏ん張らされる（ふんばらせられる・ふんばらされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 踏ん張れば（ふんばれば） |
| tara | 踏ん張ったら（ふんばったら） |
| Volitional | 踏ん張ろう（ふんばろう） |
| polite (mashou) | 踏ん張りましょう（ふんばりましょう） |
| Imperative | 踏ん張れ（ふんばれ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym持ちこたえるもちこたえるNeutralKeeping the current state from getting worse, as in 「天気が持ちこたえる」; stresses a situation holding rather than deteriorating.
- Related辛抱しんぼうNeutralEnduring and holding out over time, as in 「もう少しの辛抱」; it stresses bearing hardship, while 「踏ん張る」 stresses bracing yourself and gritting through.
- Related粘るねばるNeutralAlso means to be sticky; for people it means refusing to give up and hanging on to the end, as in 「最後まで粘る」; stresses tenacity.
- Related凌ぐしのぐNeutralGetting through or warding off hardship, as in 「暑さを凌ぐ」; can also mean to surpass. Focuses on riding out a difficult stretch.
- Related耐えるたえるNeutralBearing or withstanding pain and hardship, as in 「痛みに耐える」; the most broadly used of these endurance words.
- Related踏みとどまるふみとどまるNeutralHolding your ground and refusing to retreat, or stopping short of doing something; the focus is on staying where you are.
- Related耐え忍ぶたえしのぶNeutralQuietly enduring pain or hardship over a long stretch; stresses long-term forbearance, while 「踏ん張る」 is about bracing yourself and not giving ground.
- Related踏みこたえるふみこたえるNeutralBracing against pressure and holding your ground; very close to 「踏ん張る」, but slightly more written in tone.
- RelatedこらえるNeutralHolding back or suppressing something, as in 「涙をこらえる」; stresses keeping emotions or physical reactions in check.
- Antonym諦めるあきらめるNeutralAntonym: to give up and accept that something will not happen; the opposite of gritting your teeth and holding on with 「踏ん張る」.
- AntonymどくCasualColloquial antonym: to step aside or get out of the way; the opposite of 「踏ん張る」 standing firm and refusing to budge.
Use 「踏ん張る」 when you brace your legs to stand firm or grit through a tough moment, as in 「ここが踏ん張りどころ」. For long-term endurance pick 「辛抱」, for refusing to give up 「粘る」, for simply enduring 「耐える」. 「持ちこたえる」 is for keeping a situation from worsening, 「堪える」 for holding back tears or urges, 「凌ぐ」 for riding out hardship. Antonyms: 「諦める」 (give up) and colloquial 「退く」 (step aside).
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
