Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

へりくだる Japanese meaning | Kotomora

へりくだる

へ

り

く

だ

る

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

humble oneself; speak humbly; abase oneself

usually written using kana alone

Used when a person intentionally lowers themselves in speech or attitude, often to show respect to the listener. Common in formal or polite contexts.

彼かれはいつもへりくだって話はなす。
He always speaks humbly.
そんなにへりくだらなくてもいいですよ。
You don't have to humble yourself so much.

Written forms

へりくだるUsage88%
Usually written in kana. The kanji forms 謙る and 遜る exist but are rare.
遜へりくだるUsage7%
Rare kanji form; the kana spelling is strongly preferred.
謙へりくだるUsage4%
Rare kanji form; the kana spelling is strongly preferred.

Kanji

謙self-effacing, humble oneself, condescend
遜humble, modest

Similar words

謙けん虚きょ
謙虚 is a noun/adjective meaning 'humble' or 'modest' as a character trait, while へりくだる is a verb describing the act of humbling oneself in speech or behavior.
卑ひ下げ
卑下 can mean self-deprecation or belittling oneself, sometimes with a negative connotation of putting oneself down excessively, whereas へりくだる is more neutral and often used in polite social interaction.

Etymology

Compound of 謙り (heri, 'humility', from verb 謙る heru) + 下る (kudaru, 'to go down'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since classical Japanese to express self-abasement.