我慢（がまん、gaman）
- patience/endurance

我慢 (がまん) means patience, endurance, tolerance, or perseverance. It implies the ability to withstand something unpleasant or difficult without complaining or giving up. It's about controlling one's feelings or desires in the face of hardship. It’s also used to describe putting up with something, bearing something, or holding back. ⚫︎It’s a crucial concept in Japanese culture, emphasizing the importance of self-control and resilience.

⚫︎試験の結果を我慢して待つ。 Translation: I will patiently wait for the exam results. ⚫︎痛みを我慢する。 Translation: To endure the pain. ⚫︎彼は怒りを我慢している。 Translation: He is suppressing his anger.

⚫︎You would use 我慢 (がまん) when you want to express the idea of: ⚫︎Tolerating a difficult situation. ⚫︎Showing patience. ⚫︎Controlling your emotions. ⚫︎Enduring pain or hardship. ⚫︎It's applicable in a wide range of situations, from dealing with physical discomfort to coping with emotional distress. ⚫︎You can use the verb form, 我慢する (がまんする, to be patient/to endure/to tolerate). ⚫︎It's frequently used in daily conversation and formal settings alike.

⚫︎The standard way to write this word is 我慢. ⚫︎It is typically written using the kanji 我 (meaning "self" or "I"), and 慢 (meaning "pride," but in this context, it has evolved to mean "patience," "slowness"). ⚫︎It is also written in hiragana がまん. ⚫︎The okurigana for the verb form 我慢する (がまんする) is always する.

⚫︎辛抱 (しんぼう, shinpou): Patience, perseverance. This emphasizes endurance through difficult times. ⚫︎忍耐 (にんたい, nintai): Endurance, perseverance, patience. Often used in more formal contexts. ⚫︎我慢強い (がまんづよい, gaman zuyoi): Patient, tolerant, persevering (adjective).

⚫︎不満 (ふまん, fuman): Dissatisfaction, discontent. ⚫︎我慢できない (がまんできない, gaman dekinai): Unable to endure, can't stand.

熱いお風呂に入って、少し我慢してください。 ・Translation: Please bear with it a little as you get in the hot bath. ・Explanation: This sentence suggests that the person is asked to endure the heat of the bath.

彼らは長い間我慢して、ついに成功を収めた。 ・Translation: They endured for a long time and finally achieved success. ・Explanation: This sentence shows the importance of 我慢 (がまん) in achieving a goal.

The kanji 我 means "self" or "I." The kanji 慢 has meanings like "pride" or "arrogance," but in the combination 我慢, it has evolved to mean "slowness" or "delay," which, in this context, signifies "patience." Therefore, 我慢 literally implies the "endurance of self" or "delaying the expression of one's feelings." The combination suggests a control of one’s self or inner state.