Translation guide
The feeling of being held back or restricted from acting naturally, or the act of suppressing impulses. In Japanese, this is expressed through nouns describing shyness, restraint, or psychological blocks, as well as verbs for holding back.
The feeling of being unable to act freely due to self-consciousness or social pressure.
Restraint out of consideration for others; often used when someone holds back from doing something to avoid imposing.
彼は遠慮して何も言わなかった。
He held back and said nothing out of consideration.
Feeling intimidated or losing confidence in front of others, leading to inhibition.
大勢の前で気後れしてしまった。
I felt inhibited in front of the large crowd.
Shyness or bashfulness as a personality trait; describes someone who is naturally inhibited.
彼女は内気で、パーティーに行くのを嫌がる。
She is shy and dislikes going to parties.
Sense of shame or embarrassment that inhibits behavior; more formal and psychological.
羞恥心が強いと、人前で話せない。
If you have a strong sense of shame, you can't speak in public.
The act of consciously holding back urges, emotions, or behaviors.
Control or suppression of something; used for emotions, desires, or biological processes.
怒りを抑制するのは難しい。
It's difficult to suppress anger.
Oppression or psychological repression; often used in Freudian contexts or for social suppression.
To endure or put up with something; implies inhibiting a desire or reaction.
食べたいけど、我慢する。
I want to eat it, but I'll hold back.
To exercise self-control; more formal and deliberate than 我慢.
彼は自制して酒をやめた。
He exercised self-control and quit drinking.
The state of being free from inhibitions, often due to alcohol or personality.
Lacking restraint; describes someone who acts without considering others.
彼は遠慮がなくて、ずけずけ言う。
He has no inhibitions and speaks bluntly.
To act without reserve or hesitation; feeling comfortable enough to be uninhibited.
親友だから気兼ねしないで話せる。
Since we're close friends, I can talk without inhibition.
To become open and uninhibited, often in a social setting.
お酒を飲むと開放的になる。
I become uninhibited when I drink alcohol.
抑制 (suppression) is for controlling internal impulses or external processes, while 遠慮 (restraint) is social and involves holding back out of politeness. Use 抑制 for psychological or scientific contexts, and 遠慮 for everyday social situations.
The English word 'inhibition' is often used in psychology or casual speech about shyness. Direct translations like インヒビション are not natural. Instead, choose a word based on the specific nuance: shyness (内気), social restraint (遠慮), or impulse control (抑制).
感情の抑圧は健康に悪い。
Repression of emotions is bad for your health.