堪 means “hold back, bear, proficient”

こらえる · koraeru

Also: withstand, endure, support, resist

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

たえる, たまる, こらえる, こたえる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カン, タン

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 12 strokes

The story

Earth (土) holding out against something extreme (甚): picture a levee standing firm in a flood. 堪える is to hold back tears or anger, 堪忍袋の緒が切れる is to run out of patience, and 堪能 is being fluent, or enjoying something to the full.

Used in 堪える (koraeru, to hold back/bear), 堪能 (tannou, proficient/to enjoy fully), and 堪忍 (kannin, patience/forgiveness)

More from Grit & Resolve

• 諦 give up
• 志 aspiration
• 徹 thorough
• 貫 pierce
• 頑 stubborn
• 耐 withstand
• 克 overcome
• 遂 accomplish
• 誓 vow
• 忍 endure
• 挫 setback

Learn 堪 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.