How to say 'Refrain' or 'Reserve' in Japanese | 控える

Wondering how to say 'Refrain' or 'Reserve' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Refrain or Reserve is 'Hikaeru', written as 控える in Japanese.'Refrain' or 'Reserve' in hiragana is ひかえる.

word

控える

Meaning

Refrain, Reserve

Reading

ひかえる

hikaeru

Kanji

控Refrain, Abstain

Explanation

The Japanese verb '控える (ひかえる)' has two distinct meanings. The first meaning is 'to refrain' or 'to hold back' from doing something. For example: Please refrain from smoking here「ここでは喫煙を控えてください」(ここではきつえんをひかえてください). The second meaning is 'to reserve' or 'to keep something in reserve'. For example: I reserved a seat for the meeting「会議の席を控えました」(かいぎのせきをひかえました). The verb can also imply a sense of caution or moderation, depending on the context. It is often used in formal or polite situations.

Part Of Speech

verb

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

4129

Composition

kanji-hiragana

Handwriting

This word is an ichidan verb. To learn how it transforms in different tenses and forms, explore all its conjugations.

Kanji in the Word 控える

This word contains 1 kanji character:

kanji

控

Meaning

Refrain, Abstain

Hiragana in the Word 控える

This word contains 2 Hiragana characters :

hiragana

え

Reading

hiragana

る

Reading

Words Related to 控える Through the Kanji 控

These 2 Words contain the Kanji 控 as well.

word

控除

Meaning

Deduction

word

控え室

Meaning

Waiting room

Learn the Word 控える

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What does 'Hikaeru' (控える) mean?

'Hikaeru' means 'Refrain' or 'Reserve' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.