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腹に納める (はらにおさめる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, ichidan verb
keep to oneself ; keep secret ; keep inside
Idiomatic expression meaning to keep something (especially a secret, thought, or feeling) to oneself without revealing it to others. Often implies a deliberate decision to hold back.
はら
に
納おさ
め
て
、
何なに
も
言い
わ
なかっ
た
。
He kept his dissatisfaction to himself and said nothing.
Kanji 納 settlement, obtain, reap Similar words 胸むね に 納おさ める Similar meaning of keeping something to oneself, but 胸 (chest/heart) emphasizes emotional or sentimental matters, while 腹 (stomach/belly) often implies a more pragmatic or secretive withholding.
心こころ に 秘ひ める Means to keep something hidden in one's heart, often with a nuance of cherishing or guarding a secret. 腹に納める is more about deliberately not revealing something, sometimes with a connotation of swallowing one's words.
Etymology The expression combines 腹 (belly, often metaphorically the seat of thoughts and intentions in Japanese) with 納める (to put away, to store). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of using body parts to represent inner feelings or secrets.
