ひとたまり

ひ

と

た

ま

り

Meanings

noun

holding out for a short while; putting up resistance for a while; briefly holding one's own

usually written using kana alone

Almost always used in negative constructions like ひとたまりもない or ひとたまりもなく, meaning 'without putting up any resistance' or 'easily defeated'. The word itself is rarely used independently.

Expressions

ひとたまりもないunable to resist; no match for; helpless against
一ひと溜たまりもなくeasily; without resistance; helplessly

Kanji

一one, one radical (no.1)
溜collect, gather, be in arrears

Related words

抵てい抗こう
抵抗 is a general noun for resistance or opposition, used in many contexts. ひとたまり is a more specific, idiomatic expression limited to negative phrases about brief resistance.

Built from

一ひと+たまる

Written forms

一ひと溜たまりUsage1%
Standard kanji form, though the word is usually written in kana.
ひとたまりUsage92%
Kana spelling is the most common and recommended for learners.
一ひとたまりUsage6%
search-only kanji form
Search-only variant; not recommended for active use.
一ひと溜たまりUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only variant; not recommended for active use.

Etymology

Compound of 一 (ひと, 'one') and 溜まり (たまり, 'accumulation, pause'). The exact derivation is uncertain, but it likely refers to a single moment of holding out or a brief pause before giving in.