しぶとい

• Reading: しぶとい
• Romaji: shibutoi
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.bɯ.to.i/

Meaning

Tenacious; persistent; stubborn; tough. Describes someone who refuses to give up or be defeated, often despite enormous odds.

An i-adjective (typically written in hiragana) describing a quality of dogged endurance. Unlike 執拗 (which carries a negative nuance of unwanted persistence), しぶとい can be used admiringly or neutrally to describe someone who keeps going through sheer grit. Often used in sports, business, and character descriptions.

Examples

1. しぶとく食らいついた結果、三度目の挑戦でついに合格した。 By tenaciously hanging in there, I finally passed on my third attempt.
2. あの選手はピンチでもしぶとく粘り、土壇場で試合をひっくり返した。 That player stubbornly held on even when things looked dire and turned the game around at the last moment.
3. しぶとい交渉相手で、何度断っても諦めようとしなかった。 He was a tough negotiator who refused to give up no matter how many times he was turned down.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, business, character description, admiration

Tone: admiring

Origin & History

Likely derived from 渋い (shibui, astringent/reluctant) combined with the suffix とい. The astringency metaphor — something that won't go away or dissolve — extended naturally to describing a person who refuses to quit.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: General