Japanese symbol for “hesitate”
渋る
しぶる
Romaji: shiburu
to be reluctant (to do); to be unwilling (to do); to hesitate (to do); to grudge
In Japanese, hesitate is 渋る, read しぶる (shiburu).
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
- v5r, vt to be reluctant (to do); to be unwilling (to do); to hesitate (to do); to grudge; to be tardy (in doing); to put off (doing)
- v5r, vi to falter; to slacken; to slow down
- v5r, vi to have a frequent urge to defecate but difficulty passing stool; to suffer from tenesmus
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “hesitate”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 迷う | まよう mayou | to waver; to hesitate; to vacillate |
| 怯む | ひるむ hirumu | to falter; to flinch (from); to recoil (from) |
| 二の足を踏む | にのあしをふむ ninoashiofumu | to hesitate; to think twice; to flinch |
| 憚る | はばかる habakaru | to hesitate; to have scruples; to be afraid of what others may think |
| もにょる | もにょる monyoru | to hesitate (to say); to mutter; to mumble |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 渋滞 | じゅうたい juutai | (traffic) congestion; traffic jam; gridlock |
| 渋谷 | しぶや shibuya | Shibuya City (special ward of Tokyo); Shibuya |
| 渋い | しぶい shibui | astringent; bitter; puckery |
| 苦渋 | くじゅう kujuu | bitterness; distress; pain |
| 渋柿 | しぶがき shibugaki | astringent persimmon |
See also: Chinese symbol for “hesitate”.
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.