1.
to clench one's teeth; to grit one's teeth
To physically clench the teeth together tightly, often due to pain, effort, or tension.
2.
to bear it; to endure; to persevere through hardship
Used figuratively to mean enduring pain, difficulty, or frustration without giving up or showing weakness.
An idiomatic expression combining 歯 (teeth), を (object marker), 食いしばる (to bite down hard). Expresses physical or emotional endurance.
Common collocations
- 歯を食いしばって耐える: to grit one's teeth and endure
- 歯を食いしばって頑張る: to grit one's teeth and persevere
- 痛みに歯を食いしばる: to clench one's teeth against pain
- 悔しくて歯を食いしばる: to clench one's teeth in frustration
Common patterns
The main verb 食いしばる conjugates as a godan verb. Common forms: 食いしばって (te-form), 食いしばった (past).
Similar words
- 我慢する: to endure, to be patient — more general term for enduring
- 歯を食いしばる: to grit one's teeth — implies physical or visible effort to endure
- 耐え忍ぶ: to endure patiently — more literary, implies long-suffering patience