躊躇う

• Reading: ためらう
• Romaji: tamerau
• Kanji breakdown: 躊 (chuu) — to hesitate | 躇 (cho) — to hesitate, to falter
• Pronunciation: /ta.me.ɾa.ɯ/

Meaning

To hesitate; to waver; to falter; to be unable to act decisively.

A Group 1 (godan) verb expressing the state of hesitation or indecision in which one wavers between two choices or cannot bring oneself to act. It implies both an internal psychological struggle and an outward pause or delay in action. Though written with the rare kanji 躊躇 in formal contexts, it is very commonly written in hiragana in everyday usage. Widely used across formal and informal registers.

Examples

1. 重大な決断を前にして、誰もがためらいを感じるのは当然のことだ。 It is only natural for anyone to feel hesitation when faced with a momentous decision.
2. 彼女は長い間躊躇ったが、ついに上司に昇給の交渉を切り出した。 She wavered for a long time, but finally brought herself to raise the matter of a pay rise with her supervisor.
3. ためらわずに行動できる人間こそが、危機の場面で真価を発揮できる。 Those who can act without hesitation are the ones who truly show their worth in a moment of crisis.

Usage Guide

Context: decision-making, emotional conflict, daily life, formal writing

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From the Sino-Japanese 躊躇 (chūcho), meaning hesitation. The kanji 躊 and 躇 both contain 足 (foot), suggesting a person stopped mid-step, unable to proceed. Now commonly written in hiragana in everyday contexts.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal