Japanese word

粘り

Pronunciation

Romajinebari

Meaning

  • nountenacity

Example

彼は最後まで粘りを見せました。kare wa sai go ma de neba ri o mi se ma shi ta

He showed tenacity until the end.

Illustration for 粘り (tenacity)

More examples

交渉では最後まで粘りが必要です。kō shō de wa sai go ma de neba ri ga hitsu yō de su

Tenacity is necessary in negotiations.

Core concept

Expresses sustained holding power, whether a material stays attached or a person refuses to give up.

Common phrases

  • 粘りを見せるneba ri o mi se ru

    show tenacity

  • 粘りがあるneba ri ga a ru

    be persistent

Similar words

根気konki: The ability to continue an effort patiently until a task is finished.
執念shūnen: Strong determination to achieve a goal that remains after repeated failure.
辛抱shinbō: The ability to endure difficulty or an unpleasant situation patiently.

Definition in Japanese

思うようにいかない状況でも、あきらめずに続ける力。omo u yō ni i ka na i jō kyō de mo a ki ra me zu ni tsuzu ke ru chikara

Word origin

粘り (nebari, "tenacity") is formed from the verb 粘る (nebaru, "to persist or stick"), whose physical sense of sticking extends naturally to the idea of persistent effort.

Usage tips

  • The texture of okra and natto is often described with 粘り (nebari) in Japanese, so the word appears in ordinary food contexts as well as descriptions of persistent effort.

Other meanings

  • stickinessnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 粘り強いnebarizuyoipersistenti-adjective
  • 粘り強さnebarizuyosapersistencenoun

Word lists with this word