音読み: コウ
訓読み: ひかえる・ひかえ
画数: 11
部首: てへん（手）
Meaning
Hold Back / Refrain / Reserve / Note Down
- Basic forms
- 控える — refrain; hold back / base form
- 控えます — refrains / masu form
- 控えた — refrained; held back / ta form
- 控えて — refraining … / te form
- 控えない — do not refrain / negative
- 控えれば — if (one) refrains / conditional
- Common expressions
- 飲酒を控える — refrain from drinking
- 甘い物を控える — cut back on sweets
- 発言を控える — hold back comments
- More
- 控えている — is refraining / state
控える（ひかえる） is an ichidan verb. It means to deliberately refrain from or reduce an action, often for reasons of health, manners, or self-restraint.
- 控える — to refrain; to hold back; to stay nearby
- 控え — a reserve; something kept ready
- 控除 — tax deduction; subtraction
- 控訴 — legal appeal
- 差し控える — to withhold action or words
A hand (てへん) combined with the phonetic element 空（くう）. The image is of “pulling back” or “holding in.” Over time it developed meanings such as restraining action, waiting nearby, or keeping something set aside.