忍しのぶ

し

の

ぶ

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-bu), intransitive verb

Intransitive use for hiding one's presence or body, often in a physical or figurative sense. Common in literary or poetic contexts.

彼かれは物もの陰かげに忍しのんで様よう子すをうかがった。
He hid himself in the shadows and watched the situation.

2

godan verb (-bu), transitive verb

endure; bear; put up with

Transitive use for enduring hardship, pain, or unpleasant situations. Often implies quiet perseverance.

彼かれはつらい仕し事ごとをじっと忍しのんでいる。
He quietly endures the tough job.
彼かの女じょは痛いたみを忍しのんで笑え顔がおを見みせた。
She bore the pain and showed a smile.

Written forms

忍しのぶUsage94%
Standard kanji spelling for both intransitive and transitive uses.
しのぶUsage6%
Kana spelling is common in modern writing, especially for the transitive sense of enduring.

Kanji

忍endure, bear, put up with

Similar words

耐たえる
耐える also means 'to endure', but it is more common and neutral. 忍ぶ carries a nuance of quiet, patient endurance, often with a literary or emotional tone.
隠かくれる
隠れる is the standard intransitive verb for 'to hide'. 忍ぶ is more literary and implies deliberate concealment, often with a nuance of stealth.

Etymology

The verb 忍ぶ (shinobu) is of native Japanese origin. The kanji 忍 carries meanings of 'endure' and 'conceal', which align with the verb's senses. The historical derivation is uncertain, but it may be related to the idea of 'bearing silently' or 'hiding one's feelings'.