Japanese symbol for “abstain”
控える
ひかえる
Romaji: hikaeru
to be temperate in; to refrain; to abstain; to hold back
In Japanese, abstain is 控える, read ひかえる (hikaeru).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- v1, vt to be temperate in; to refrain; to abstain; to hold back; to restrain oneself from excessive ...
- v1, vt to make notes; to jot down (e.g. phone number)
- v1, vi to be in preparation for; to be in waiting for
- v1, vi to be soon; to be in the offing
- v1, vt to be in a close relationship (e.g. as a backer, etc.)
Written forms: 控える、扣える. Readings: ひかえる.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “abstain”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 断つ | たつ tatsu | to abstain (from); to give up |
| 慎む | つつしむ tsutsushimu | to do in moderation; to refrain (from overdoing); to abstain |
| 止める | やめる yameru | to cancel; to abandon; to give up |
| 身を慎む | みをつつしむ miotsutsushimu | to behave oneself; to be prudent; to exercise self-restraint |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 控訴 | こうそ kouso | appeal to a higher court; intermediate appeal |
| 控え | ひかえ hikae | reserve; spare; backup |
| 控除 | こうじょ koujo | subtraction; deduction (e.g. of tax) |
| 控え室 | ひかえしつ hikaeshitsu | waiting room; anteroom; antechamber |
| 控えめ | ひかえめ hikaeme | moderate; reserved; modest |
See also: Chinese symbol for “abstain”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.