ひるむ

ひ

る

む

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

ひるむ · godan verb (-mu)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	ひるむ	ひるまない
Polite	ひるみます	ひるみません
Past polite	ひるみました	ひるみませんでした
Past	ひるんだ	ひるまなかった
Te-form	ひるんで	ひるまないで
Desire	ひるみたい	ひるみたくない
Potential	ひるめる	ひるめない
Passive	ひるまれる	ひるまれない
Causative	ひるませる	ひるませない
Causative passive	ひるませられるalso ひるまされる	ひるませられないalso ひるまされない
Volitional	ひるもう
Polite volitional	ひるみましょう
Imperative	ひるめ	ひるむな
Conditional	ひるめば	ひるまなければ
Tara conditional	ひるんだら	ひるまなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-mu), intransitive verb

flinch; recoil; be daunted

usually written using kana alone

Describes a momentary loss of nerve or courage when facing something intimidating, difficult, or overwhelming. Often used in negative constructions like ひるまずに (without flinching).

彼かれは相あい手ての強つよ気きな態たい度どにひるんだ。
He flinched at his opponent's aggressive attitude.
ひるまずに前まえへ進すすもう。
Let's move forward without flinching.

See all 28 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉にひるむto flinch at something
彼かれは敵てきの勢いきおいにひるまなかった。
He didn't flinch at the enemy's onslaught.
ひるまずに〈動どう詞し〉to do something without flinching
彼かの女じょはひるまずに立たち向むかった。
She stood up to it without flinching.
〈人ひと〉の気き迫はくにひるむto be intimidated by someone's intensity
新しん人じんは監かん督とくの気き迫はくにひるんでしまった。
The rookie was intimidated by the coach's intensity.

Kanji

怯cowardice, wince, flinch

Related words· 6

たじろぐ
たじろぐ often implies an actual physical step backward, while 怯む is more about a mental flinch or loss of nerve without necessarily moving.
怖おじける
おじける describes a more sustained state of fear or timidity, while 怯む is a brief, momentary loss of resolve.
尻しり込ごみ
尻込みする emphasizes hesitating or drawing back from an action out of reluctance, whereas 怯む is a sudden emotional flinch when facing something intimidating.
ビビる
びびる is a very casual, colloquial word for getting scared or intimidated, while 怯む is more neutral and can appear in written or formal contexts.

Show 2 more

引ひける
怯む describes flinching or losing courage in a moment of fear, while 引ける (as in 気が引ける) describes a milder, more self-conscious hesitation about doing something.
動どうじるN1
怯む means to flinch or lose one's nerve in the face of danger or pressure, while 動じる is broader and covers any kind of emotional disturbance.

Don't confuse with

怯おびえるN1
怯える means to be frightened or cower in fear over time, while 怯む is a brief flinch of nerve at a specific moment of confrontation.

Written forms

ひるむUsage68%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 怯む is rare and may not be recognized by all readers.
怯ひるむUsage32%
Kanji form is uncommon; learners should prefer the kana spelling.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. It may be related to the mimetic word ひりひり (smarting, tingling) or the verb ひる (to dry up, to become weak), but the exact derivation is unclear.