1.
to refrain from, to hold back, to moderate
To avoid doing something or to reduce the amount of something, often for health or social reasons.
プラスチック製品の使用を控える。
To refrain from using plastic products.
塩分を控えてください。
Please cut down on salt.
飲み過ぎを控える。
To cut back on drinking.
2.
to wait, to stand by
To wait in readiness, often in an official capacity or as a reserve.
選手たちが控え室で待っている。
The players are waiting in the waiting room.
3.
to be imminent, to be approaching
Used to indicate that an event is near or upcoming.
試験を控えているので遊べない。
I can't hang out because I have an exam coming up.
TRANSITIVITY: 他動詞 (transitive) for sense 1, 自動詞 (intransitive) for senses 2-3.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- Xを控える (to refrain from X)
- 控え室 (waiting room)
- 控えめ (modest, reserved)
- 〜を控えている (to have ~ coming up)
ASPECT: ている indicates a state of having something upcoming (sense 3) or being in a waiting position (sense 2).