憚はばかり様さま

also: はばかりさん

は

ば

か

り

さ

ま

Meanings

interjection, noun

thank you for your trouble; unfortunately ...

formal or literary

A formal or literary expression. As an interjection, it is a polite acknowledgment of someone's effort or trouble. The 'unfortunately' sense is used to preface a regretful statement, similar to 'I'm sorry to say...'.

憚はばかり様さまですが、本ほん日じつは閉へい店てんいたしました。
Unfortunately, we are closed for today.
遠とおくからお越こしいただき、憚はばかり様さまです。
Thank you for coming all this way; I appreciate your trouble.

Kanji

憚hesitate, shrink, awe
様Esq., way, manner

Related words

恐おそれ入いります
恐れ入ります is a more common and less literary expression of gratitude or apology, while 憚り様 is more formal and old-fashioned.
ご苦く労ろう様さま
ご苦労様 is used to thank someone for their work, but it can sound condescending if used toward superiors; 憚り様 is more deferential and formal.

Built from

はばかる+様さま

Written forms

憚り様
- はばかりさま
  Standard kanji spelling for the formal expression.
- はばかりさん
  The reading はばかりさん is a colloquial variant; the kanji spelling is rarely used with this reading.
はばかりさん
Colloquial kana form; more casual than はばかりさま.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 憚る (はばかる, to hesitate or be reserved) combined with the honorific suffix 様 (さま). The expression originally conveyed a sense of hesitation or apology, which evolved into a formal expression of gratitude or regret.