形容詞・副詞

この十じゅう年ねんで格差かくさが著いちじるしく拡大かくだいした。

Inequality has widened markedly over these ten years.

Usage 著しい変化, 著しい成長, and the adverb 著しく〜する. Formal and written. Close to 顕著, but 著しい is more flexible because it has an adverb form.

Remember it 著 (conspicuous, as in 顕著, 著名) → standing out so plainly you cannot miss it.

一歩いっぽ間違まちがえば大事故だいじこになる危あやうい場面ばめんだった。

One step wrong and it would have been a serious accident — a precarious moment.

Usage 危うい状況, 危うい経営 — teetering on the edge. The adverb 危うく〜するところだった, meaning 'I very nearly…', is a frequent exam item.

Remember it 危 (danger, as in 危険, 危機) → balanced where one push would do it.

当時とうじの様子ようすが日記にっきに克明こくめいに記録きろくされている。

The conditions of the time are recorded in the diary in exact detail.

Usage 克明に記録する, 克明に描く — meticulously, leaving nothing out. It goes almost only with verbs of recording, describing and investigating.

Remember it 克 (overcome) + 明 (make clear) → pressing on until every detail is made clear.

基準きじゅんを公開こうかいしなければ、恣意しい的てきな運用うんようだと疑うたがわれる。

Unless the criteria are published, it will be suspected of being applied arbitrarily.

Usage 恣意的な判断, 恣意的な解釈 — done at someone's whim rather than by rule. Always critical. Do not confuse 意図的, which means deliberate.

Remember it 恣 (self-indulgent) + 意 (will) → whatever the will happens to want.

その価格かかく設定せっていは市場しじょう相場そうばから見みて妥当だとうだ。

That pricing is reasonable judged against the market.

Usage 妥当な判断, 妥当な価格. The noun 妥当性 means validity. Distinct from 適切, which is fitting for the occasion; 妥当 is being sound in itself.

Remember it 妥 (settled) + 当 (apt) → settled on and fitting.

将来しょうらいに漠然ばくぜんとした不安ふあんを抱かかえている。

I carry a vague anxiety about the future.

Usage 漠然とした〜 and 漠然と〜する — vague, without definite shape. Always with と. Common partners: 不安, 考え, イメージ.

Remember it 漠 (desert, as in 砂漠) + 然 → featureless as a desert, with no outline anywhere.

手続てつづきが煩雑はんざつすぎて利用りよう者しゃが減へっている。

The procedure is so cumbersome that users are falling away.

Usage 煩雑な手続き, 煩雑な作業 — fiddly enough to be a nuisance. Unlike the neutral 複雑, which is structural complexity, 煩雑 is always a complaint.

Remember it 煩 (vexing) + 雑 (jumbled) → troublesome and untidy at once.

対応たいおうの緩慢かんまんさが被害ひがいを拡大かくだいさせた。

The sluggishness of the response made the damage worse.

Usage 緩慢な動き, 緩慢な対応 — slow, and blamed for it. Opposites: 迅速, 速やか. Written register.

Remember it 緩 (loose, slow) + 慢 (sluggish) → slack and dragging its feet.

緻密ちみつな計算けいさんに基もとづいて設計せっけいされている。

It is designed on the basis of precise calculation.

Usage 緻密な計算, 緻密な描写, 緻密な計画. A compliment. Close to 綿密; 緻密 stresses how finely the structure is worked.

Remember it 緻 (fine-woven) + 密 (dense) → woven so tight there is no gap.

一社いっしゃに依存いぞんする供給きょうきゅう体制たいせいは脆弱ぜいじゃくだ。

A supply system dependent on one company is fragile.

Usage 脆弱な基盤, 脆弱な体制 — liable to break. Formal, used of systems, economies and security. The native adjective is 脆い.

Remember it 脆 (brittle) + 弱 (weak) → brittle and weak — it goes at a touch.

改善かいぜんの効果こうかが顕著けんちょに表あらわれている。

The effect of the improvement is showing clearly.

Usage 顕著な効果, 顕著な傾向, 顕著に現れる. More formal than 著しい and common in reports and papers.

Remember it 顕 (manifest) + 著 (conspicuous) → out in the open and impossible to miss.

職人しょくにんの手てによる精緻せいちな細工さいくに目めを奪うばわれた。

I was captivated by the exquisite craftsmanship.

Usage 精緻な細工, 精緻な理論 — elaborate and finely wrought. More formal and more aesthetic than 緻密; used of craft and of theory.

Remember it 精 (refined) + 緻 (fine-woven) → refined and finely made.

自みずから非ひを認みとめるとは殊勝しゅしょうな心こころがけだ。

Owning up to his own fault is a commendable attitude.

Usage 殊勝な心がけ, 殊勝な態度 — admirable, usually said of a junior, and occasionally with a touch of irony. Slightly archaic and written.

Remember it 殊 (special) + 勝 (surpassing) → a notch above what one expected.

締しめ切きりが明日あすなのに暢気のんきに構かまえている。

The deadline is tomorrow and he is taking it easy.

Usage 暢気な人, 暢気に構える — carefree, sometimes to the point of criticism. Usually written のんき. Close to 悠長, but 暢気 describes character.

Remember it 暢 (at ease, unhindered) + 気 (temper) → a temperament nothing hurries.

圧力あつりょくに屈くっせず、毅然きぜんとした態度たいどを貫つらぬいた。

He would not yield to pressure and maintained a resolute stance.

Usage 毅然とした態度, 毅然と対応する — firm and unshaken. Always with と. A compliment about strength of character.

Remember it 毅 (steadfast, as in 剛毅) → the will that does not bend.

状況じょうきょうに応おうじて柔軟じゅうなんに対応たいおうする必要ひつようがある。

We must respond flexibly according to the situation.

Usage 柔軟な発想, 柔軟な対応. A compliment. Also literal, of a supple body. Opposites: 硬直的, 画一的.

Remember it 柔 (soft) + 軟 (pliant) → soft enough to bend without breaking.

端的たんてきに言いえば、原因げんいんは準備じゅんび不足ぶそくだ。

Put plainly, the cause was inadequate preparation.

Usage 端的に言う, 端的に示す — straight to the point. 端的に言えば means 'to put it bluntly'. Also 端的な例, the example that shows it most clearly.

Remember it 端 (the point, the tip) + 的 → aimed straight at the point.

情報じょうほうが断片だんぺん的てきで、全体ぜんたい像ぞうがつかめない。

The information is fragmentary and the whole picture will not come together.

Usage 断片的な情報, 断片的な記憶 — piecemeal and unsystematic. Negative. Opposites: 体系的, 総合的.

Remember it 断 (cut) + 片 (fragment) → cut into pieces and only the pieces left.

画一かくいつ的てきな教育きょういくでは個性こせいが育そだたない。

Uniform education does not let individuality grow.

Usage 画一的な教育, 画一的な対応 — one template applied to everyone. Always critical, because it ignores difference. Close to 一律 but sharper in its disapproval.

Remember it 画 (rule a line) + 一 (one) → everything ruled to a single line.

一ひとつの事例じれいから全体ぜんたいを判断はんだんするのは短絡たんらく的てきだ。

Judging the whole from a single case is simplistic.

Usage 短絡的な考え, 短絡的な発想 — leaping from cause to conclusion. A criticism of reasoning. From 短絡, an electrical short circuit.

Remember it 短 (short) + 絡 (connect) → wired straight across, skipping everything in between.

場当ばあたり的てきな対応たいおうでは根本こんぽん解決かいけつにならない。

An ad hoc response will not solve anything fundamentally.

Usage 場当たり的な対応, 場当たり的な政策 — improvised from one moment to the next. Always a criticism of the lack of a plan.

Remember it 場 (the spot) + 当たり (whatever you run into) → dealt with wherever it happens to come up.

情勢じょうせいは流動りゅうどう的てきで、予断よだんを許ゆるさない。

The situation is fluid and nothing can be taken for granted.

Usage 流動的な情勢, 流動的な状況 — still moving, not yet settled. Neutral. Common in political and economic reporting.

Remember it 流 (flow) + 動 (move) → still flowing, not yet set.

選考せんこう過程かていが不透明ふとうめいだという批判ひはんが出でた。

Criticism was raised that the selection process was not transparent.

Usage Two senses, both common in the news: 不透明な選考, lacking transparency, and 先行き不透明, an outlook you cannot see into.

Remember it 不 (not) + 透明 (transparent) → you cannot see through it.

録音ろくおんの音声おんせいが不明瞭ふめいりょうで聞きき取とれない。

The recorded audio is indistinct and cannot be made out.

Usage 不明瞭な発音, 不明瞭な基準 — hard to make out, whether sound, writing or a standard. Distinct from 曖昧, which is vagueness of meaning.

Remember it 不 (not) + 明瞭 (distinct) → not coming through clearly.

説明せつめいが冗長じょうちょうで要点ようてんが伝つたわらない。

The explanation is long-winded and the point never lands.

Usage 冗長な文章, 冗長な説明 — padded out with what is not needed. Its direct opposite, 簡潔, is often tested alongside it.

Remember it 冗 (superfluous) + 長 (long) → long with the surplus.

過度かどな期待きたいは失望しつぼうを招まねく。

Excessive expectations invite disappointment.

Usage 過度な〜 and 過度に〜する. More formal than 〜すぎる. Common partners: 期待, 依存, 競争, 負担.

Remember it 過 (exceed) + 度 (measure) → past the mark it should have stopped at.

批判ひはんに過敏かびんに反応はんのうすると冷静れいせいな判断はんだんができない。

Reacting oversensitively to criticism prevents calm judgement.

Usage 過敏に反応する. Also medical: 過敏症, hypersensitivity. Critical in tone when applied to temperament.

Remember it 過 (excess) + 敏 (quick to feel) → feeling it more quickly than the situation warrants.

軽率けいそつな発言はつげんが信頼しんらいを失うしなう原因げんいんとなった。

A careless remark was what cost him people's trust.

Usage 軽率な発言, 軽率な行動. Its direct opposite is 慎重. Slightly heavier than 不用意 because it implies not taking the matter seriously.

Remember it 軽 (light) + 率 (offhand) → treating it lightly and acting on the spot.

結論けつろんを出だすのは時期じき尚早しょうそうだ。

It is premature to reach a conclusion.

Usage Effectively confined to 時期尚早, too early for this yet. A fixed phrase and a frequent exam item.

Remember it 尚 (still) + 早 (early) → still early for that.

一度いちどの失敗しっぱいで諦あきらめるのは早計そうけいだ。

Giving up after one failure is hasty.

Usage 〜のは早計だ — a conclusion jumped to too soon. Close to 時期尚早, but 早計 criticises the judgement and 尚早 the timing of an action.

Remember it 早 (early) + 計 (reckon) → reckoning it up before the figures are in.

拙速せっそくな導入どうにゅうは現場げんばの混乱こんらんを招まねく。

Hasty introduction will throw those on the ground into confusion.

Usage 拙速な判断, 拙速な導入 — quick but clumsy. Its counterpart is 巧遅, slow but skilful. The maxim 拙速を尊ぶ prefers rough and quick to slow and fine.

Remember it 拙 (clumsy) + 速 (fast) → fast, and clumsy because of it.

暫定ざんてい的てきな措置そちとして当面とうめんこの形かたちで運用うんようする。

As an interim measure we will run it this way for the time being.

Usage 暫定的な措置, 暫定的な合意, 暫定政権 — provisional until something final is decided. Common partners: 措置, 予算, 首位.

Remember it 暫 (for the moment) + 定 (fix) → fixed only for the moment.

異常いじょうを発見はっけんしたら速すみやかに報告ほうこくしてください。

Please report promptly if you find anything wrong.

Usage 速やかに〜する. Very formal — the language of regulations and official notices. Read すみやか.

Remember it 速 (fast, as in 速度, 迅速) → done without letting time pass.

地方ちほうによって事情じじょうが違ちがうので、一概いちがいには言いえない。

Circumstances differ by region, so one cannot generalise.

Usage Almost always negated: 一概には言えない, you cannot say so across the board. A fixed phrase and heavily tested.

Remember it 一 (one) + 概 (lump together) → lumping everything into a single verdict.

規制きせいは漸次ぜんじ緩和かんわされる見通みとおしだ。

The regulations are expected to be relaxed by degrees.

Usage 漸次〜する. Very formal, the register of official documents; speech uses 次第に or だんだん. Relative: 漸進的.

Remember it 漸 (gradually) + 次 (in turn) → one step, then the next.

準備じゅんびのため暫時ざんじ休憩きゅうけいといたします。

We shall break briefly to prepare.

Usage 暫時休憩, 暫時お待ちください — for a short while. Very formal, used at conferences and in announcements. Do not confuse 暫定, which describes a provisional nature.

Remember it 暫 (for the moment) + 時 (time) → a short stretch of time only.

彼かれは会議かいぎの間あいだ、終始しゅうし無言むごんだった。

He said nothing at all throughout the meeting.

Usage As an adverb, 終始〜だった, from start to finish; as a verb, 〜に終始する, amounting to nothing more than — 弁解に終始する, all excuses and nothing else.

Remember it 終 (end) + 始 (beginning) → from the beginning right to the end.

彼かれは辛つらい経験けいけんを淡々たんたんと語かたった。

He spoke of the painful experience quite matter-of-factly.

Usage 淡々と語る, 淡々とこなす — without emotion and without embellishment. Usually admiring of the composure.

Remember it 淡 (pale, as in 淡白) doubled → no colour of feeling laid over it.

その技わざは職人しょくにんから職人しょくにんへ脈々みゃくみゃくと受うけ継つがれてきた。

The craft has been handed down from artisan to artisan in an unbroken line.

Usage 脈々と受け継がれる, 脈々と続く — continuing unbroken across generations. Always with と and a verb of inheriting or continuing.

Remember it 脈 (a vein, as in 血脈, 山脈) doubled → running on like a vein that never breaks.

定期ていき点検てんけんによって事故じこを未然みぜんに防ふせぐ。

Regular inspection prevents accidents before they happen.

Usage Almost always in 未然に防ぐ, forestalling something. A fixed phrase and a frequent exam item.

Remember it 未 (not yet) + 然 (come about) → while it has not yet come about.