我慢

Gaman (我慢) combines ga ('I' or 'self') and man ('arrogance' or 'indulgence'). Originally from Buddhist thought, the concept means to suppress selfish desire and bear hardship with dignity. To practice gaman is not to suppress feelings but to accept what cannot be changed without complaint or bitterness.

During Japan's long feudal period and the samurai era, gaman became associated with the warrior code—enduring pain, hunger, and hardship as a test of character. But it was never the aggressive stoicism of the samurai. It was quiet endurance, acceptance of fate, dignity in silence.

The phrase took on sharper meaning during World War II. Japanese soldiers were instructed to practice gaman when wounded, hungry, or trapped—to endure without surrendering. During the American occupation and later American incarceration, Japanese communities used gaman to cope with displacement, loss, and humiliation. To show gaman was to refuse to let circumstances break your spirit, even as your body and freedom were taken.

Gaman differs from other endurance philosophies like Finnish sisu (which emphasizes fighting back and defiance) or Irish 'not giving them the satisfaction.' Gaman is gentler—it's the wisdom of knowing which battles can be won and which must simply be borne. To practice gaman is to accept limitation while maintaining inner dignity.