息いき張ばる

い

き

ば

る

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

Used for physical straining, especially holding one's breath and pushing, as in childbirth or heavy lifting.

出しゅっ産さんのとき、助じょ産さん師しが「もっと息いき張ばって」と言いった。
During childbirth, the midwife said, 'Bear down more.'

重おも

い

荷に

物もつ

を

持も

ち

上あ

げよう

と

息いき

張ば

っ

た

。

I strained to lift the heavy luggage.

踏ふん張ばる
踏ん張る means to brace one's legs and hold firm, often figuratively for enduring hardship, while 息張る focuses on breath-holding and physical straining.
力りきむ
力む is a more general word for tensing muscles or putting in excessive effort, while 息張る specifically involves holding breath and pushing.

Compound of 息 (iki, 'breath') and 張る (haru, 'to stretch, strain'). The reading いきばる is a rendaku form of はる.