Japanese word

抑制

Pronunciation

Romajiyokusei

Meaning

  • nounrestraint

Example

感情の抑制が大切です。kan jō no yoku sei ga tai setsu de su

Emotional restraint is important.

Illustration for 抑制 (restraint)

More examples

交渉では、感情の抑制が信頼につながります。kō shō de wa kan jō no yoku sei ga shin rai ni tsu na ga ri ma su

In negotiations, emotional restraint builds trust.

Core concept

抑制 (yokusei) conveys controlled containment that prevents a feeling, desire, or action from becoming excessive or visible.

Common phrases

  • 感情の抑制kan jō no yoku sei

    emotional restraint

  • 抑制を強めるyoku sei o tsuyo me ru

    strengthen restraint

  • 抑制の必要性yoku sei no hitsu yō sei

    the need for restraint

Similar words

自制jisei: The deliberate control of one's own impulses and behavior through inner discipline.
抑圧yokuatsu: The forceful holding down of feelings, desires, or actions so that they are not expressed.
制御seigyo: The management of feelings, desires, or actions to keep them within a desired range.
節制sessei: The practice of limiting desires or actions to maintain moderation.

Definition in Japanese

感情や衝動の働きを、外に表したり行動に移したりしないように抑えること。kan jō ya shō dō no hatara ki o soto ni arawa shi ta ri kō dō ni utsu shi ta ri shi na i yō ni osa e ru ko to

Word origin

The word comes from the Sino-Japanese combination 抑 (yoku, "hold down") + 制 (sei, "control"), whose parts directly suggest restraining something from acting freely.

Usage tips

  • The collocation emotional restraint sounds natural in English for calm self-control, while emotional suppression more strongly suggests that the feeling is kept from being expressed.

Other meanings

  • controlnoun
  • suppressionnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 抑制的yokuseitekirestrainedna-adjective
  • 抑制力yokuseiryokuinhibitory powernoun

Word lists with this word