踏ん張る

• Reading: ふんばる
• Romaji: funbaru
• Kanji breakdown: 踏 (fu) — step, press; 張 (ha) — brace, stretch, tension
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯm.ba.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To brace oneself; to stand firm; to hold out under pressure; to dig in.

A Group 1 (godan) verb describing the act of planting one's feet wide and pushing hard against resistance—the stance of a sumo wrestler or someone pushing against a heavy load. Figuratively, it means enduring hardship, holding firm during a crisis, or refusing to give up. Carries a strongly positive, perseverant connotation and is often used as encouragement.

Examples

1. 試合終盤、チームは踏ん張ってなんとか同点に追いついた。 In the closing stages of the match, the team dug in and somehow managed to equalise.
2. 会社が倒産の危機に瀕しても、彼は最後まで踏ん張り続けた。 Even as the company faced the brink of bankruptcy, he held out to the very end.
3. あと少しだ、踏ん張れ。 Just a little more — hang in there.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, business, encouragement, daily life

Tone: encouraging

Origin & History

Derived from 踏む (to step firmly) with the suffix 張る (to stretch, brace, tension). The image is of pressing the feet into the ground and bracing the body taut, ready to bear great weight. Long associated with sumo and manual labour, the figurative use is now ubiquitous.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal