Japanese word

ためらう

Pronunciation

Romajitamerau

Meaning

  • verbhesitate

Example

知らない人に話しかけるのをためらいます。shi ra na i hito ni hana shi ka ke ru no o ta me ra i ma su

I hesitate to talk to strangers.

Illustration for ためらう (hesitate)

More examples

彼女は会議で自分の意見を言うのをためらいました。kano jo wa kai gi de ji bun no i ken o i u no o ta me ra i ma shi ta

She hesitated to share her opinion in the meeting.

Core concept

Describes pausing before an action because the decision or willingness to act is not yet settled.

Common phrases

  • 行動をためらうkō dō o ta me ra u

    hesitate to act

  • 発言をためらうhatsu gen o ta me ra u

    hesitate to speak

Similar words

躊躇するchūchosuru: To pause before doing something because of uncertainty or reluctance.
迷うmayou: To be unable to decide what to do.
尻込みするshirigomisuru: To draw back from an action because of fear or lack of confidence.

Definition in Japanese

何かをする決心がつかず、行動を控える。nan ka o su ru kes shin ga tsu ka zu kō dō o hika e ru

Word origin

The native Japanese verb ためらう (tamerau) comes from the older form ためらふ (tamerafu), which expressed pausing or holding back and developed into the modern sense of hesitating before action.

Usage tips

  • In English, hesitate commonly takes to plus a verb, as in hesitate to speak, while Japanese places a noun phrase before ためらう (tamerau).

Other meanings

  • waververb

Opposites

  • 即決するsokketsusurudecide immediatelyverb

Related words

  • ためらいがちtameraigachihesitantna-adjective

Word lists with this word