物怖じする

• Reading: ものおじする
• Romaji: monooji suru
• Kanji breakdown: 物 (butsu/mono) — thing, general intensifier; 怖 (fu/oji) — fear, frightening
• Pronunciation: /mo.no.o.dʑi.sɯ.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To be timid; to be easily intimidated; to shrink back from challenges out of shyness or fear.

A する-compound verb from 物怖じ (timidity, being easily daunted). Frequently appears in the negative form — 物怖じしない (undaunted, fearless) — which is a common compliment in Japanese professional and social contexts. The positive affirmation of courage in the face of daunting situations makes this a key N1 vocabulary item.

Examples

1. 彼女は初対面の人にも物怖じせず堂々と話す。 She speaks confidently to people she's meeting for the first time without any timidity.
2. 大舞台でも物怖じしない精神力が彼の強みだ。 His mental strength—never intimidated even on the big stage—is his greatest asset.
3. 初めての海外出張で物怖じする様子も見せず交渉を成功させた。 On his first overseas business trip, he showed no sign of being intimidated and successfully closed the deal.

Usage Guide

Context: personality, workplace, social situations, praise

Tone: evaluative

Origin & History

Compound of 物 (mono, a general intensifying prefix for psychological states) and 怖じ (fear — from 怖じる, to be afraid). 物怖じ as a noun means a fearful or timid disposition.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal