へりくだる（へりくだる）
JLPT N1 · Godan verb (Group 1)
Pitch accent: nakadaka (middle-high) — pitch drops after mora 4
Meaning: to be humble
Conjugation
| Form | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| masu-form (polite) | へりくだります | へりくだります |
| te-form | へりくだって | へりくだって |
| ta-form (past) | へりくだった | へりくだった |
| nai-form (negative) | へりくだらない | へりくだらない |
| potential form | へりくだれる | へりくだれる |
Example sentences
- 必要以上にへりくだらない。 — Don't be more humble than necessary.
- 目上の人にへりくだって話す。 — He speaks humbly to his superiors.
Related words
See it used in real works
- Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
- Hear “へりくだる” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)