忍ぶ
しのぶ
verb (godan)
to endure; to conceal oneself; to reminisce
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 忍ぶ | 忍ばない |
| Present polite | 忍びます | 忍びません |
| Past | 忍んだ | 忍ばなかった |
| Past polite | 忍びました | 忍びませんでした |
| て form | 忍んで | 忍ばなくて |
| ている present | 忍んでいる | 忍んでいない |
| ている polite | 忍んでいます | 忍んでいません |
| ている past | 忍んでいた | 忍んでいなかった |
| ている past polite | 忍んでいました | 忍んでいませんでした |
| Conditional ば | 忍べば | 忍ばなければ |
| Conditional たら | 忍んだら | 忍ばなかったら |
| Volitional | 忍ぼう | — |
| Volitional polite | 忍びましょう | — |
| Potential | 忍べる | 忍べない |
| Passive | 忍ばれる | 忍ばれない |
| Causative | 忍ばせる | 忍ばせない |
| Imperative | 忍べ | 忍ぶな |
1.
to endure; to bear; to put up with
To patiently withstand hardship, pain, or difficult circumstances without complaining.
涙を忍んだ。
I held back my tears.
寒さを忍んで働いた。
I endured the cold and worked.
貧しさに耐え忍ぶ日々が続いた。
Days of enduring poverty continued on.
2.
to conceal oneself; to hide; to do something secretly
To act stealthily or keep something hidden from others. The root meaning behind the word ninja (忍者).
人目を忍んで会った。
We met in secret, away from prying eyes.
彼は姿を忍ばせて逃げた。
He hid himself and escaped.
忍び足で部屋を出た。
I tiptoed out of the room.
3.
to reminisce; to long for
To fondly recall or yearn for the past, a person, or a place. Often literary.
故郷を忍ぶ。
I long for my hometown.
昔を忍ぶよすがもない。
There is nothing left to remind me of the past.
亡き友を忍んで花を手向けた。
I offered flowers in memory of my late friend.
USAGE:
A literary and somewhat formal verb with three distinct senses. Sense 1 (endurance) is the most common in modern usage. Sense 2 (concealment) is the etymological root of 忍者 and 忍び. Sense 3 (reminiscence) is mostly literary.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 涙を忍ぶ (to hold back tears)
- 人目を忍ぶ (to avoid being seen)
- 忍び足 (stealthy steps, tiptoeing)
- 耐え忍ぶ (to endure, to persevere)
- 昔を忍ぶ (to reminisce about the past)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 耐える: to endure — more neutral and widely used
- 我慢する: to put up with — everyday, less literary