endure

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 忍 has 7 strokes, the on-reading にん, and the kun-reading しのぶ among its readings. 忍ぶ (しのぶ) can mean to endure or avoid being seen.
• Basic usage: 忍耐 (にんたい) means patience in enduring difficulty; the object of 忍ぶ distinguishes endurance from acting unseen.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Enduring pain and avoiding notice
  • 痛みを忍んで means while enduring pain. 人目を忍ぶ means to avoid being seen, as in the example where two people leave through a back door.
  • 忍耐が必要だった means that patience was needed. 忍耐強く練習を続けた describes continuing to practice patiently despite failure.