Japanese word

阻む

Pronunciation

Romajihabamu

Meaning

  • verbobstruct

Example

大きな岩が道を阻みます。ō ki na iwa ga michi o haba mi ma su

A large rock obstructs the road.

Illustration for 阻む (obstruct)

More examples

厚い雲が太陽の光を阻みました。atsu i kumo ga tai yō no hikari o haba mi ma shi ta

Thick clouds blocked the sunlight.

Core concept

Describes preventing forward movement or progress by blocking the way or interfering with an action.

Common phrases

  • 行く手を阻むyu ku te o haba mu

    block one's path

  • 成長を阻むsei chō o haba mu

    hinder growth

  • 計画を阻むkei kaku o haba mu

    thwart plans

  • 交通を阻むkō tsū o haba mu

    obstruct traffic

Similar words

妨げるsamatageru: To make movement or progress difficult or impossible by interfering with it.
遮るsaegiru: To block a path, view, sound, or light by getting in its way.
塞ぐfusagu: To close or fill an opening or passage so that nothing can pass through.
邪魔するjamasuru: To interfere with a person, action, or process and make it harder to continue.

Definition in Japanese

行く手や物事の進展をさえぎり、目的の実現を妨げること。yu ku te ya mono goto no shin ten o sa e gi ri moku teki no jitsu gen o samata ge ru ko to

Word origin

The native Japanese verb 阻む (habamu) has no securely known internal derivation; the kanji 阻 (so, "obstruct") is used because its meaning matches the verb.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese, 阻む (habamu) is transitive, so the blocked goal or progress is marked by を (o), even when no physical barrier is present.

Other meanings

  • hinderverb
  • preventverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word