Verb (5-dan, る, intransitive)
Usually written in kana
1. to smoke; to smoulder; to smolder; to sputter
2. to be sooty; to be smoke-stained
when read as "くすぶる, ふすぶる"
3. to smoulder (e.g. a dispute); to smolder
when read as "くすぶる"
4. to seclude oneself
when read as "くすぶる, ふすぶる"
5. to live in obscurity; to stay in the same level (of social position, circumstances, etc.)
when read as "くすぶる"