Japanese word

我慢

Pronunciation

Romajigaman

Meaning

  • nounpatience

Example

少し我慢して待ちます。suko shi ga man shi te ma chi ma su

I will be patient and wait a little.

Illustration for 我慢 (patience)

More examples

お菓子を食べたいですが、夕食まで我慢します。o ka shi o ta be ta i de su ga yū shoku ma de ga man shi ma su

I want a snack, but I will wait until dinner.

Core concept

Centers on holding back discomfort or an impulse so that a difficult situation can be endured.

Common phrases

  • 我慢するga man su ru

    be patient

  • 我慢できるga man de ki ru

    be able to endure

  • 我慢の限界ga man no gen kai

    limit of one's patience

Similar words

辛抱shinbō: The act of putting up with discomfort or an unpleasant situation for a while.

Definition in Japanese

つらさや不快さなどをこらえ、耐え忍ぶこと。tsu ra sa ya fu kai sa na do o ko ra e ta e shino bu ko to

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese word 我慢 (gaman) combines 我 (ga, "self") and 慢 (man, "conceit"); its earlier sense of self-regard later developed into enduring hardship.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Japanese, 我慢する (gaman suru) is the common verb form, while 我慢 (gaman) by itself names the quality or act of enduring something difficult.

Other meanings

  • endurancenoun
  • tolerancenoun

Opposites

  • せっかちsekkachiimpatientna-adjective

Related words

  • 我慢強いgamantsuyoipatienti-adjective

Word lists with this word