猶予

• Reading: ゆうよ
• Romaji: yūyo
• Kanji breakdown: 猶 (yū/nao) — still, hesitate; 予 (yo) — beforehand, grant
• Pronunciation: /jɯːjo̞/

Meaning

Postponement; deferment; reprieve; grace period; extension of time.

A する-verb (猶予する) and noun referring to the official or deliberate postponement of a deadline, obligation, or legal sentence. Common in legal, administrative, and formal contexts: 執行猶予 (suspended sentence), 猶予期間 (grace period), 一刻の猶予も許さない (no time to spare, no margin for delay). Implies a temporary hold rather than a cancellation.

Examples

1. 裁判所は三年間の執行猶予を言い渡した。 The court handed down a three-year suspended sentence.
2. 事態は一刻の猶予も許さない緊急性を帯びていた。 The situation had taken on such urgency that not a moment's delay could be afforded.
3. 返済の猶予期間として六ヶ月が与えられた。 A grace period of six months was granted for repayment.

Usage Guide

Context: law, finance, administration, journalism

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 猶 (still, yet, hesitate) and 予 (beforehand, grant). In classical usage both characters carried a sense of wavering or holding back, together expressing a deliberate delay or extension.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal