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二の足を踏む

にのあしをふむ

to hesitate

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Examples

  1. 高額で二の足を踏んだ。

    こうがくでにのあしをふんだ。

    The high price made me hesitate.

  2. 値段を見て二の足を踏む。

    ねだんをみてにのあしをふむ。

    One look at the price and you hold back.

  3. 留学したいが、費用を考えると二の足を踏んでしまう。

    りゅうがくしたいが、ひようをかんがえるとにのあしをふんでしまう。

    I want to study abroad, but the cost makes me hesitate.

  4. 各社とも新規投資には二の足を踏んでいる。

    かくしゃともしんきとうしにはにのあしをふんでいる。

    Every firm is holding back from new investment.

Common patterns

購入に二の足を踏む
to hesitate over buying something
値段に二の足を踏む
to balk at the price
二の足を踏んでいる
to be holding back

Memory tip

You take the first step, but the second foot stalls. It is hesitation over a concrete decision with a cost or risk, such as buying, investing or applying, not general indecisiveness.

Kanji in this word

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What does 二の足を踏む mean?