遠慮する · noun or participle which takes 'suru'
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 遠慮する | 遠慮しない |
| Polite | 遠慮します | 遠慮しません |
| Past polite | 遠慮しました | 遠慮しませんでした |
| Past | 遠慮した | 遠慮しなかった |
| Te-form | 遠慮して | 遠慮しないで |
| Desire | 遠慮したい | 遠慮したくない |
| Potential | 遠慮できる | 遠慮できない |
| Passive | 遠慮される | 遠慮されない |
| Causative | 遠慮させる | 遠慮させない |
| Causative passive | 遠慮させられる | 遠慮させられない |
| Volitional | 遠慮しよう | |
| Polite volitional | 遠慮しましょう | |
| Imperative | 遠慮しろ | 遠慮するな |
| Conditional | 遠慮すれば | 遠慮しなければ |
| Tara conditional | 遠慮したら | 遠慮しなかったら |
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb, intransitive verb
reserve; restraint; holding back
Refraining from saying or doing something out of consideration for others, social harmony, or modesty. Often used in the phrase 遠慮なく (without reserve).
At my first meeting, I ended up holding back without meaning to.
遠慮なく意見を言ってください。
Please feel free to speak your mind.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb, intransitive verb
declining; refraining
Politely refusing an offer or invitation, or choosing not to do something, often with する. Common in set phrases like ご遠慮ください (please refrain).
お酒は遠慮しておきます。
I'll pass on the alcohol, thank you.
館内での写真撮影はご遠慮ください。
Please refrain from taking photos inside the building.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb, intransitive verb
Original, now largely literary meaning: thinking ahead, prudence. Rare in modern conversation; usually encountered in older texts or formal writing.
遠慮を欠いた行動は後悔を招く。
Actions lacking forethought invite regret.
Please refrain from talking during the meeting.
Please feel free to ask questions.
I held back and couldn't voice my opinion out of deference to my senior.
Well then, I'll gladly accept without hesitation.
遠慮 is holding back out of consideration for others in a specific situation (e.g. declining an offer), while 控えめ describes a general moderate, low-key quality.
遠慮 usually means holding back out of politeness or consideration for others, whereas 敬遠 means actively avoiding someone or something, not necessarily out of courtesy.
遠慮する suggests hesitating out of politeness or consideration for others, whereas 差し控える is a more deliberate, often formal decision to abstain.
far sight and deep design; foresight and careful planning
shy; diffident; reserved; hesitant