恐縮

• 読み: きょうしゅく
• ローマ字: kyōshuku
• 漢字の分解: 恐 (kyō) — fear, awe; 縮 (shuku) — shrink, contract
• 発音: /kʲo.ː.ɕɯ.kɯ/

意味

Feeling obliged; being sorry; deeply grateful and apologetic. A polite expression of being humbled and overwhelmed by another's kindness or inconvenience caused.

A noun and suru-verb used extensively in formal Japanese to express both apology and gratitude simultaneously. 恐縮です (I'm deeply obliged) and 恐縮ですが (I'm sorry to trouble you, but…) are indispensable in business and polite contexts. The character 縮 (to shrink) evokes the image of making oneself small before another out of humility.

例文

1. ご丁寧にお礼をいただき、恐縮です。
2. こんなに手間をかけていただいて、恐縮しております。
3. 先生にわざわざお越しいただき、恐縮いたしました。

使い方ガイド

場面: business communication, formal apology, polite speech

トーン: humble

起源と歴史

From 恐 (kyō) meaning 'fear' or 'awe' and 縮 (shuku) meaning 'to shrink.' The compound suggests shrinking with awe before someone's generosity or formidable presence.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: Adults

社会的背景: Professional