godan verb (-gu), intransitive verb
Physical act of breathing heavily, often from exertion, pain, or distress.
彼は階段を駆け上がった後、激しく喘いでいた。
He was panting heavily after running up the stairs.
傷の痛みで一晩中喘いだ。
I gasped all night from the pain of the wound.
godan verb (-gu), intransitive verb
struggle; suffer; be in distress
Figurative use: to be in a difficult situation and struggling to cope, often with a sense of desperation. Commonly used with nouns like 不況 (recession) or 生活 (livelihood).
中小企業は不況下で喘いでいる。
Small and medium-sized enterprises are struggling under the recession.
彼は借金の返済に喘いでいる。
He is struggling to repay his debts.