忍耐

• Reading: にんたい
• Romaji: nintai
• Kanji breakdown: 忍 (nin/shino) — endure, conceal, persevere; 耐 (tai/ta) — withstand, bear, resist
• Pronunciation: /nʲintai/

Meaning

Patience; endurance; perseverance. The ability to withstand hardship, difficulty, or adversity without losing composure.

A noun used in both personal and ethical contexts. 忍耐力 (capacity for endurance) is a common compound. Differs from 我慢 in that 忍耐 emphasises resolute, sustained endurance over a longer duration rather than momentary self-restraint. Often appears in 忍耐強い (patient, persevering).

Examples

1. 長い闘病生活を支えたのは、彼女の並外れた忍耐だった。 What sustained her through the long illness was her extraordinary endurance.
2. 子育ては忍耐の連続だが、その分喜びも大きい。 Child-rearing is a continual test of patience, but the joy it brings is equally great.
3. 忍耐強く交渉を続けた結果、ついに合意に至った。 By patiently continuing the negotiations, they finally reached an agreement.

Usage Guide

Context: personal growth, ethics, daily life, work

Tone: earnest

Origin & History

Compound of 忍 (nin, to endure/conceal) and 耐 (tai, to withstand/bear). Both characters carry the sense of bearing difficulty, together forming a term for patient, sustained endurance.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal