1.
to endure, to bear, to put up with
To patiently withstand pain, hardship, or difficult conditions without giving in. Used for both physical and emotional endurance.
痛みに耐える。
Endure the pain.
寒さに耐えながら仕事を続けた。
I kept working while enduring the cold.
彼は長い闘病生活に耐え、ようやく退院できた。
He endured a long battle with illness and was finally able to leave the hospital.
2.
to withstand, to resist, to hold up against
To be strong or durable enough to resist physical force, pressure, or harsh conditions. Often used for materials, structures, and equipment.
この建物は地震に耐える。
This building can withstand earthquakes.
高温に耐える素材が必要だ。
We need a material that can withstand high temperatures.
この橋は大型トラックの重さにも耐えられるように設計されている。
This bridge is designed to withstand the weight of large trucks.
USAGE:
The particle に marks what is being endured: ～に耐える. Sense 1 (human endurance) and sense 2 (physical resistance) share this pattern but differ in subject — sense 1 typically has a person, sense 2 typically has a thing.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 痛みに耐える: endure pain
- 寒さに耐える: endure the cold
- 圧力に耐える: withstand pressure
- 地震に耐える: withstand an earthquake
- 耐えがたい: unbearable, intolerable
- 耐え忍ぶ: to endure patiently
SIMILAR WORDS:
耐える emphasizes stoic endurance or physical resistance. 我慢する (to put up with) is more colloquial and implies suppressing complaints or desires. 堪える is close in meaning but often emphasizes holding back emotions or tears.