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.

See also: 耐える (たえる)

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.

Meanings

Usage patterns