渋しぶ々しぶ

し

ぶ

し

ぶ

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

reluctantly; unwillingly

Describes doing something with hesitation or resistance, often because one has no better choice. Can be used with ～する or as an adverb.

彼かれは渋しぶ々しぶ引ひき受うけた。
He reluctantly accepted it.
渋しぶ々しぶながら、その条じょう件けんをのんだ。
Though unwillingly, I agreed to the conditions.

See all 20 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

渋々承諾しぶしぶしょうだくするto reluctantly agree/consent
彼かれは渋しぶ々しぶその提てい案あんを承しょう諾だくした。
He reluctantly agreed to the proposal.
渋々しぶしぶ〈人ひと〉に従うにしたがうto reluctantly comply with someone
彼かの女じょは渋しぶ々しぶ上じょう司しの指し示じに従したがった。
She reluctantly followed her boss's instructions.
渋々認しぶしぶみとめるto reluctantly admit something
彼かれは渋しぶ々しぶ自じ分ぶんの間ま違ちがいを認みとめた。
He reluctantly admitted his mistake.

Kanji

渋astringent, hesitate, reluctant

Related words

いやいやN1
いやいや is casual and often shows visible displeasure or childish resistance, while 渋々 is more formal and suggests quiet, grudging acceptance.
不ふ承しょう不ぶ承しょう
不承不承 is a stronger, more literary word for doing something very unwillingly with visible reluctance, whereas 渋々 is the more common, everyday term.
仕し方かたなく
仕方なく emphasizes acting because there is no other option, while 渋々 emphasizes the emotional reluctance felt while doing it.

Opposites

快こころよく
快く means doing something willingly and cheerfully, the opposite of 渋々's grudging reluctance.
いそいそN1
しぶしぶ describes doing something reluctantly and unwillingly, the opposite of the cheerful eagerness in いそいそ.
あっさりN1
渋々 describes doing something reluctantly and with visible resistance, the opposite of あっさり's quick, unhesitant manner.

Written forms

渋しぶ々しぶUsage36%
Standard kanji spelling; the repetition mark 々 is used.
しぶしぶUsage63%
Kana spelling is common in informal writing and when the kanji are considered difficult.
シブシブUsage2%
渋しぶ渋しぶ
Uncommon variant without the repetition mark; learners may encounter it but 渋々 is preferred.

Etymology

Reduplication of 渋い (しぶい, 'astringent; reluctant'), with the sense of 'reluctantly' derived from the idea of a puckered, hesitant expression.