へたれ
へたれ
noun
wimp; coward; weakling
1.
wimp; coward; weakling; gutless person
A person who lacks courage, determination, or strength. A colloquial and somewhat derogatory term for someone who gives up easily or is unreliable.
あいつはへたれだ。
That guy is a wimp.
へたれなことを言うな。
Don't say such cowardly things.
最初は威勢がよかったのに、いざとなるとへたれになる。
He talked big at first, but when it came down to it, he turned into a coward.
A colloquial term originally from Kansai dialect that has spread nationwide. Can be used as a noun (「あのへたれ」 = that wimp) or as a な-adjective (「へたれな奴」 = a gutless person). Mildly derogatory — used among friends or to describe fictional characters, but can be insulting if directed at someone directly.
ETYMOLOGY:
Possibly derived from へたる (to collapse, to give out), suggesting someone who gives up or collapses under pressure.
USAGE:
- As a noun: あいつはへたれだ (He's a wimp)
- As a な-adjective: へたれな性格 (a gutless personality)
- Common in manga, anime, and internet slang to describe characters who lack backbone
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 臆病者: coward — more standard and somewhat literary
- 弱虫: crybaby, weakling — often used for children
- 意気地なし: spineless person — slightly more formal insult