臆病

• Reading: おくびょう
• Romaji: okubyou
• Kanji breakdown: 臆 (oku) — chest, to guess fearfully; 病 (byō) — illness, disease
• Pronunciation: /o.kɯ.bʲoː/

Meaning

Cowardly; timid; easily frightened. Describes someone who lacks courage or is overly fearful.

A na-adjective and noun describing excessive fearfulness or lack of courage. Used to describe personality traits — 臆病な人 (a timid person), 臆病者 (a coward). While generally negative, it can sometimes be used self-deprecatingly or with sympathy. The related expression 臆病風に吹かれる means 'to get cold feet.'

Examples

1. 臆病な性格を直したいと思っている。 I want to overcome my cowardly personality.
2. 子供のころは犬が怖くて臆病だった。 When I was a kid, I was scared of dogs and really timid.
3. 臆病にならず新しいことに挑戦しよう。 Don't be a coward — let's take on new challenges.

Usage Guide

Context: personality, criticism, self-reflection, daily life

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 臆 (oku, chest/to conjecture fearfully) + 病 (byō, illness/disease). Literally 'the illness of fearfulness,' suggesting that cowardice is a condition that afflicts the mind.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal