こらえる

also: こたえる

こ

ら

え

る

JLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

こらえる · ichidan verb

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	こらえる	こらえない
Polite	こらえます	こらえません
Past polite	こらえました	こらえませんでした
Past	こらえた	こらえなかった
Te-form	こらえて	こらえないで
Desire	こらえたい	こらえたくない
Potential	こらえられるalso こらえれる	こらえられないalso こらえれない
Passive	こらえられる	こらえられない
Causative	こらえさせる	こらえさせない
Causative passive	こらえさせられる	こらえさせられない
Volitional	こらえよう
Polite volitional	こらえましょう
Imperative	こらえろ	こらえるな
Conditional	こらえれば	こらえなければ
Tara conditional	こらえたら	こらえなかったら

Pairs withたまる

Meanings

ichidan verb, transitive verb

bear; endure; put up with

usually written using kana alone

Enduring something unpleasant, such as pain, hardship, or an urge. Often used with 涙, 痛み, 笑い, etc.

Usage patterns

涙なみだを堪こらえるto hold back tears
彼かの女じょは涙なみだを堪こらえて笑え顔がおを見みせた。
She held back her tears and put on a smile.
笑わらいを堪こらえるto hold back laughter
先せん生せいの変へんな発はつ言げんに笑わらいを堪こらえるのが大たい変へんだった。
It was hard to keep from laughing at the teacher's strange remark.
〈人ひと〉の無ぶ礼れいを堪こらえるto forgive someone's rudeness
上じょう司しはその無ぶ礼れいを堪こらえて何なにも言いわなかった。
His boss overlooked the rudeness and said nothing.
痛いたみを堪こらえるto bear the pain
彼かれは痛いたみを堪こらえて最さい後ごまで走はしった。
He endured the pain and ran to the end.
怒いかりを堪こらえるto hold back one's anger
彼かれは怒いかりを堪こらえて静しずかに部屋へやを出でた。
He suppressed his anger and quietly left the room.
あくびを堪こらえるto hold back a yawn
会かい議ぎ中ちゅう、彼かれはあくびを堪こらえていた。
He was holding back a yawn during the meeting.

Kanji

堪withstand, endure, support
怺endure, (kokuji)

Transitive / intransitive

たまる sense 1
堪る is the intransitive form meaning something is bearable (usually in the negative 堪らない, 'unbearable'), while 堪える is the transitive verb meaning to actively endure or hold something back.

Related words

耐たえるN2sense 1
耐える focuses on withstanding hardship or pressure over time and is often intransitive, while 堪える is transitive and describes actively holding back a specific feeling or urge.
我が慢まんN3sense 1
我慢する is the everyday word for patiently putting up with a situation, while 堪える often implies a more physical or emotional act of suppression, like holding back tears or laughter.
抑おさえるN2sense 2
抑える means to hold down or control something (an emotion, a rise in price, etc.) more broadly, while 堪える specifically means to suppress a strong personal urge like anger or a yawn.
忍しのぶN1sense 1
忍ぶ is a literary word for quietly enduring hardship or emotion, while 堪える is the more common, everyday verb for holding something back.

Don't confuse with

抱かかえるN2
抱える sounds similar to 堪える but means to hold or carry something (in one's arms, or a problem), not to endure or suppress a feeling.
応こたえるN2
堪える usually means to bear or endure something, whereas 応える in this sense means to take a toll on or strike home emotionally/physically.

Written forms

こらえるUsage57%
Usually written in kana. The kanji 堪える is also used, especially for the reading こたえる.
堪えるUsage34%
- こらえる
  Kanji form, also read こたえる. When read こたえる, it is restricted to the 堪える spelling.
- こたえる
  Alternate reading こたえる, restricted to this kanji form. Less common than こらえる.
こたえるUsage8%
怺こらえるUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.

Etymology

Continues classical こらふ, “to endure or restrain oneself.” Modern こらえる is the regular modern pronunciation corresponding to historical こらへる; 堪える and the kokuji 怺える are conventional spellings.