Translation guide
How to express the action of holding one's breath in Japanese, including literal breath-holding and figurative anticipation.
To intentionally stop breathing for a short time, such as underwater or to avoid a smell.
To wait anxiously for something to happen, often used in the phrase 'hold one's breath' to describe a tense or excited wait.
息を止める is the general term for voluntarily stopping breathing. 息をこらえる adds a nuance of enduring or withstanding something while holding breath, often used in contexts of pain, cold, or emotional tension.
I held my breath in the cold water.
While 'hold one's breath' in English can be used figuratively for waiting in suspense, directly translating it as 息を止める sounds odd in Japanese. Use idiomatic expressions like 固唾をのむ or 息をのむ instead.
臭いので息を止めて通った。
I passed by holding my breath because it stank.
Implies enduring or withstanding something while holding one's breath, often with a nuance of tension or effort.
He held his breath enduring the pain.
Literally 'kill one's breath', used when trying to be very quiet or hide one's presence, often in tense situations.
I held my breath while hiding.
An idiomatic expression meaning to watch with bated breath, feeling tense or anxious about the outcome.
The audience held their breath watching the game's outcome.
Literally 'swallow one's breath', used when something surprising or breathtaking happens, causing a gasp or moment of shock.
I held my breath at the beautiful scenery.
Describes a thrilling, suspenseful situation where one's palms sweat; often used for exciting events like sports or movies.
It was a breath-holding development.