憚る

Cognate with 阻む (habamu, “to prevent, thwart”), 蔓延る (habikoru, “to grow dense”), and possibly 幅 (haba, “width”).^[1][2]

Also cognate with classical adjective 憚し (habashi, “hesitant, shy”).

• (Tokyo) はばかる (Nakadaka – )^[1][3]
• (Tokyo) はばかる (Heiban – )^[3]
• IPA^(key):

憚(はばか)る • (habakaru) transitive or intransitive godan (stem 憚(はばか)り (habakari), past 憚(はばか)った (habakatta))

1. (intransitive) to hesitate, to be afraid to do
   • 2007, 新時代日漢辭典／新时代日汉辞典 (Xīn Shídài Rì-hàn Cídiǎn), 1st edition, 大新書局／大新书局 (Dàxīn Shūjú), →ISBN:

     彼(かれ)を憚(はばか)って何(なに)も言(い)わない

     Kare o habakatte nanimo iwanai

     Afraid to say anything to him

2. (intransitive) to get full, grow rampant
3. (intransitive) to throw one’s weight around, to make one’s presence felt
4. (archaic, transitive) to beware of, be wary of
5. (archaic, transitive) to abhor, detest
6. (archaic, transitive) to grieve, hold a funeral service

• 過(あやま)ちては則(すなわ)ち改(あらた)むるに憚(はばか)ること勿(なか)れ (ayamachite wa sunawachi aratamuru ni habakaru koto nakare)
• 憎(にく)まれっ子(こ)世(よ)に憚(はばか)る (nikumarekko yo ni habakaru)

From a pab- stem cognate with modern Japanese 阻む (habamu, “to prevent, thwart”).

憚る (pabakaru) (kana はばか​る)

1. (intransitive) to hesitate, to be afraid to do
   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 20, poem 4372:
     , text here

     ...阿良志乎母多志夜波婆可流不破乃世伎久江弖和波由久...

     ...arasi wo mo tasi pabakaru Pupa-no₂-seki₁ kuyete wa pa yuku...

     Will a wild man hesitate to stand? Across the barrier of Fuwa I go.

2. (transitive) to beware of, be wary of
   • 720, Nihon Shoki, Emperor Nintoku, fortieth year of reign , second month:
     ; Maeda-bon glosses

     然重_二皇后之言_一、亦敦_二友于之義_一而忍_レ之勿_レ罪

     But was wary of the Empress’s words; out of respect for the rules of brotherhood, he was patient and did not punish .

• 行き憚る (yuki₁pabakaru)

• Japanese: 憚る (habakaru)