Translation guide
The English phrase "hold back" has several distinct meanings. This guide breaks them down into practical uses and provides natural Japanese equivalents for each.
To physically or metaphorically stop someone or something from advancing or acting.
General term for holding back, suppressing, or restraining something like emotions, actions, or physical force.
He held back his anger.
To physically hold someone back from leaving; to detain or stop someone.
To hinder or obstruct progress; often used for abstract or physical barriers.
To forcibly stop someone from doing something, often by command or physical intervention.
The police held back the crowd.
To keep information, feelings, or something else from being known or given.
To hide or conceal information or feelings.
To stop oneself from doing something, often due to caution or reluctance.
To keep a student from advancing to the next grade or level.
To make a student repeat a year; to hold back a grade.
To stop oneself from moving forward or reacting physically.
The English phrase "hold back" is often not directly translatable as a single Japanese word. Choose the verb that matches the specific meaning (restrain, hesitate, conceal, etc.).
抑える (osaeru) is for suppressing general things like anger or a crowd. こらえる (koraeru) is specifically for holding back physical reactions like laughter or tears.
She held him back (from leaving).
Bad weather held back rescue efforts.
He held back the truth.
To keep something secret or not disclose; often used for information.
The details were held back.
To be stingy in giving or revealing; to hold back something valuable.
He held back information (grudgingly).
To refrain from saying something; to hold back words.
I held back from saying the truth.
To hesitate; to hold back from acting due to uncertainty.
He held back from asking a question.
To hold back out of politeness or consideration for others; to refrain.
Please don't hold back (out of politeness).
To hold back one's full effort; to go easy on someone.
I held back against the beginner.
To refrain from doing; to hold back voluntarily.
I held back my comments.
He was held back a year due to poor grades.
To not promote to the next grade; literally 'not let advance'.
The school held him back.
To bear or suppress a physical urge like laughter, tears, or pain.
I held back my laughter.
To endure or hold back an impulse; often used for patience.
I held back my tears.