な形容詞 III

安直あんちょくな解決かいけつ策さくに飛とびつくべきではない。

We should not jump at a cheap solution.

Usage 安直な — taking the quick, easy road. Critical. Read あんちょく.

Remember it 安 (cheap) + 直 (straight) → the cheap way, taken straight.

二ふたつの文化ぶんかは根本こんぽん的てきに異質いしつだ。

The two cultures are fundamentally different in kind.

Usage 異質な — of a different nature, not merely different. Opposite: 同質. The noun is 異質性. Common in cultural and social reading passages.

Remember it 異 (different) + 質 (nature) → different in what it is made of.

遠大えんだいな構想こうそうを描えがいている。

He is sketching out a far-reaching vision.

Usage 遠大な計画, 遠大な構想 — grand and looking decades ahead. Complimentary. It goes with little besides 計画, 構想 and 理想.

Remember it 遠 (far) + 大 (great) → great, and reaching a long way off.

好奇こうき心しんが旺盛おうせいな子こどもだ。

He is a child of vigorous curiosity.

Usage 食欲が旺盛, 好奇心が旺盛 — abundant, in full flow. It goes almost only with 食欲, 好奇心 and 意欲. Read おうせい.

Remember it 旺 (flourishing) + 盛 (abundant) → at full strength and plenty of it.

大おおまかな見積みつもりで構かまいません。

A rough estimate will do.

Usage 大まかな — broad-brush, without going into detail. Neutral, unlike 粗雑, which is a criticism. 大まかに言うと means roughly speaking.

Remember it 大 (big) + まか (measure) → measured with the big measure, not the fine one.

今年ことしは大幅おおはばな値上ねあげとなった。

There was a substantial price rise this year.

Usage 大幅な値上げ, 大幅な変更. The adverb 大幅に is very common. Opposite: 小幅. Read おおはば.

Remember it 大 (big) + 幅 (width) → the change measured across a wide span.

平穏へいおんな日々ひびのありがたさに気きづいた。

I came to appreciate how precious tranquil days are.

Usage 平穏な日々, 平穏な生活 — undisturbed. 平穏無事, safe and sound, is a common four-character compound. Read へいおん.

Remember it 平 (level) + 穏 (calm) → level and calm, with nothing to disturb it.

重厚じゅうこうな造つくりの家具かぐが並ならんでいる。

Furniture of weighty construction stands in a row.

Usage 重厚な造り, 重厚な人物 — substantial and dignified. Complimentary. Its direct opposite, 軽薄, is often tested alongside it.

Remember it 重 (heavy) + 厚 (thick) → heavy and thick — it has substance to it.

都市とし部ぶの過密かみつな状態じょうたいが問題もんだいだ。

Overcrowding in urban areas is a problem.

Usage 過密な日程, 過密な都市. 過密スケジュール is a packed schedule. Opposite: 過疎, depopulation.

Remember it 過 (excess) + 密 (dense) → packed denser than it should be.

強情ごうじょうを張はらずに謝あやまったほうがいい。

Better to apologise than to dig your heels in.

Usage 強情を張る — stubbornly refusing to budge — is the usual phrase. Read ごうじょう. Critical. Close to 頑固.

Remember it 強 (strong) + 情 (feeling) → feelings held too strongly to shift.

頑強がんきょうな抵抗ていこうに遭あった。

We met with tenacious resistance.

Usage 頑強な抵抗, 頑強な体 — stubbornly strong. Read がんきょう. Unlike 強情, it can be complimentary.

Remember it 頑 (obstinate) + 強 (strong) → strong and unwilling to yield.

奇異きいな目めで見みられるのは辛つらい。

It is hard to be looked at as an oddity.

Usage 奇異な — strange, out of the ordinary. 奇異に感じる is to find something odd. More formal than 変. Read きい.

Remember it 奇 (strange) + 異 (different) → strange and unlike the rest.

祖母そぼが危篤きとくだと連絡れんらくが入はいった。

Word came that my grandmother was critically ill.

Usage 危篤状態 — a critical condition from which recovery is doubtful. Used only of the gravely ill. 篤 means an illness turning serious. Read きとく.

Remember it 危 (danger) + 篤 (gravely ill) → in danger and grave with it.

几帳面きちょうめんな性格せいかくで約束やくそくを必かならず守まもる。

He is methodical by nature and always keeps his word.

Usage 几帳面な性格 — punctilious, tidy, punctual. Complimentary. Read きちょうめん. Opposites: だらしない, 大まか.

Remember it 几帳 (a curtain stand, whose edges were cut exactly) + 面 → finished to the line, with no edge left rough.

この席せきは少すこし窮屈きゅうくつだ。

This seat is a little cramped.

Usage Cramped, of space or clothing; and confining, of atmosphere — 窮屈な思いをする, feeling hemmed in. Read きゅうくつ.

Remember it 窮 (hard pressed) + 屈 (bend) → pressed until you have to fold yourself up.

組合くみあいは強硬きょうこうな姿勢しせいを崩くずさなかった。

The union would not drop its hard-line stance.

Usage 強硬な姿勢, 強硬な反対 — unyielding. Opposite: 柔軟. 強硬派 is the hard-line faction. Read きょうこう.

Remember it 強 (strong) + 硬 (hard) → strong and hard, with no give.

軽薄けいはくな言動げんどうは信用しんようを失うしなう。

Frivolous behaviour costs you people's trust.

Usage 軽薄な — shallow, with no depth behind it. Its direct opposite is 重厚, and the two are often tested together. Read けいはく.

Remember it 軽 (light) + 薄 (thin) → light and thin, with nothing underneath.

懸命けんめいの救助きゅうじょ活動かつどうが続つづいている。

Strenuous rescue efforts are continuing.

Usage 懸命に, 懸命の — with everything you have, from the same root as 一生懸命. Its homophone 賢明, wise, is a frequent exam pairing — tell them apart by the kanji.

Remember it 懸 (stake, hang) + 命 (life) → your life hung on it.

今いまは待まつのが賢明けんめいだろう。

Waiting is probably the sensible thing now.

Usage 賢明な判断, 賢明な選択 — wise. Sounds identical to 懸命 but means something quite different, so check the characters.

Remember it 賢 (wise) + 明 (clear-sighted) → wise and seeing clearly.

高尚こうしょうな趣味しゅみをお持もちですね。

You have refined tastes, I see.

Usage 高尚な趣味, 高尚な話題 — elevated, cultivated. Opposite: 低俗. It can be used ironically when the praise is laid on too thick. Read こうしょう.

Remember it 高 (high) + 尚 (esteem) → held high and thought well of.

組織そしきが硬直こうちょく化かして変化へんかに対応たいおうできない。

The organisation has grown rigid and cannot adapt to change.

Usage 体が硬直する, the body stiffening; and 硬直化した組織, 硬直化した思考, rigidity of institutions and thinking. The second is the tested sense.

Remember it 硬 (hard) + 直 (straight) → set hard and straight, unable to bend.

細こまやかな気配きくばりに感謝かんしゃしている。

I am grateful for such attentive consideration.

Usage 細やかな気配り, 細やかな心遣い — thoughtful down to the small things. Read こまやか. Complimentary, and common in thank-you letters.

Remember it 細 (fine, small) + やか → attentive at the level of small things.

非情ひじょうな決断けつだんを迫せまられた。

I was forced into a heartless decision.

Usage 非情な決断, 非情な仕打ち — putting feeling aside. Not always a criticism: sometimes it is the coldness a situation requires.

Remember it 非 (not) + 情 (feeling) → with the feeling taken out.

斬新ざんしんな発想はっそうが評価ひょうかされた。

The strikingly original idea was well received.

Usage 斬新な発想, 斬新なデザイン — novel and bold. Strong praise. 斬 means to cut, suggesting a break with what came before. Read ざんしん.

Remember it 斬 (cut through) + 新 (new) → cutting the old off and starting new.

至極しごく当然とうぜんの結果けっかだと言いえる。

You could call it an entirely natural outcome.

Usage 至極〜だ — utterly, extremely, placed before an adjective: 至極当然, 至極もっともだ. Formal written style. Read しごく.

Remember it 至 (reach) + 極 (the limit) → carried right to the limit.

柔和にゅうわな表情ひょうじょうで迎むかえてくれた。

She greeted me with a gentle expression.

Usage 柔和な表情, 柔和な人柄 — mild and gentle. Read にゅうわ, not じゅうわ. Complimentary. Opposites: 険しい, いかめしい.

Remember it 柔 (soft) + 和 (harmony) → soft and at peace.

この森もりは古ふるくから神聖しんせいな場所ばしょとされてきた。

This forest has long been held to be a sacred place.

Usage 神聖な場所, 神聖な儀式 — sacred and not to be violated. 神聖にして侵すべからず is the formula for inviolability. Read しんせい.

Remember it 神 (god) + 聖 (holy) → set apart as belonging to the gods.

迅速じんそくな対応たいおうに感謝かんしゃいたします。

Thank you for your prompt response.

Usage 迅速な対応 is the standard phrase in business correspondence. More formal than 早い. Read じんそく.

Remember it 迅 (swift) + 速 (fast) → fast, and without a moment lost.

素朴そぼくな疑問ぎもんなのですが、なぜでしょうか。

It is a naive question, but why is that?

Usage 素朴な人柄, 素朴な味, plain and unaffected; and 素朴な疑問, a basic question — a modest way of introducing one. Read そぼく.

Remember it 素 (plain) + 朴 (unworked wood) → left as it came, with nothing added.

荘重そうちょうな音楽おんがくが流ながれ始はじめた。

Solemn music began to play.

Usage 荘重な — stately and weighty. Written register. Close to 厳粛, but 荘重 stresses grandeur of bearing. Read そうちょう.

Remember it 荘 (stately) + 重 (weighty) → stately, and heavy with it.

多彩たさいな顔かおぶれが揃そろった。

A varied cast of people was assembled.

Usage 多彩な顔ぶれ, 多彩な活動 — rich and many-coloured. 彩 means colour. Complimentary. Read たさい.

Remember it 多 (many) + 彩 (colour) → many colours in it.

端正たんせいな顔立かおだちの青年せいねんだった。

He was a young man of regular features.

Usage 端正な顔立ち, 端正な字 — well-proportioned and correct. Used of features, handwriting and bearing. Read たんせい.

Remember it 端 (upright) + 正 (correct) → upright and true to the line.

原作げんさくに忠実ちゅうじつな映画えいが化かだった。

It was a faithful adaptation of the original.

Usage 〜に忠実 — note the に. Used both of people being loyal and of a reproduction staying close to its source.

Remember it 忠 (loyal) + 実 (true) → loyal and true to it.

的確てきかくな指示しじのおかげで助たすかった。

Your precise instructions saved us.

Usage 的確な指示, 的確な判断 — apt, hitting the mark. Also read てっかく. Distinct from 正確, which is accuracy without error; 的確 is aptness.

Remember it 的 (the target) + 確 (sure) → sure of the target.

自分じぶんの変化へんかには鈍感どんかんになりがちだ。

We tend to be insensitive to changes in ourselves.

Usage 〜に鈍感だ — slow to notice. Its direct opposite is 敏感, and the pair is often tested together.

Remember it 鈍 (blunt) + 感 (feel) → the feeling gone blunt.

なだらかな坂さかが続つづいている。

A gentle slope continues on.

Usage なだらかな坂, a gradual slope; and なだらかに減少する, declining smoothly. Opposite: 急な, steep.

Remember it なだらか → falling away so gently you hardly feel the descent.

熱烈ねつれつな支持しじを受うけて当選とうせんした。

He was elected on ardent support.

Usage 熱烈な支持, 熱烈な歓迎 — passionate. Stronger than 熱心, which is diligence. Read ねつれつ.

Remember it 熱 (hot) + 烈 (fierce) → hot and fierce with it.

弱よわい者ものを狙ねらうとは卑劣ひれつだ。

Going after the weak is despicable.

Usage 卑劣な手段, 卑劣な行為 — underhand and cowardly. Strongly condemnatory. Read ひれつ.

Remember it 卑 (base) + 劣 (inferior) → base, and a poor thing besides.

絶妙ぜつみょうなタイミングで声こえをかけてきた。

He spoke to me at exactly the right moment.

Usage 絶妙なタイミング, 絶妙なバランス — so well judged it could not be bettered. Strong praise. Read ぜつみょう.

Remember it 絶 (beyond) + 妙 (exquisite) → exquisite beyond what you could plan.

不遜ふそんな態度たいどが反感はんかんを買かった。

His arrogant manner earned him ill will.

Usage 不遜な態度 — impertinent, lacking humility. 遜 means modesty, as in 謙遜, so 不遜 is the want of it. Read ふそん.

Remember it 不 (not) + 遜 (modest) → without the modesty that was owed.

不精ぶしょうをして片付かたづけを後回あとまわしにした。

Out of laziness I put off the tidying.

Usage 不精をする — being too lazy to bother. 筆不精 is being a poor correspondent, 無精ひげ the stubble of not shaving. Read ぶしょう. Also written 無精.

Remember it 不 (not) + 精 (diligence) → not putting the effort in.

平坦へいたんな道みちばかりではなかった。

It was not all easy going.

Usage 平坦な道, flat ground; and figuratively 平坦な人生, a life without upheaval. Read へいたん. 坦 means level.

Remember it 平 (level) + 坦 (flat) → flat, with nothing to climb.

膨大ぼうだいな資料しりょうに目めを通とおした。

I went through an enormous volume of material.

Usage 膨大な資料, 膨大な量 — vast in bulk. Distinguish 莫大, which is used of money and figures. 膨 means to swell.

Remember it 膨 (swell) + 大 (great) → swollen to a great size.

朗ほがらかな笑わらい声ごえが聞きこえてきた。

Cheerful laughter came from somewhere.

Usage 朗らかな性格, 朗らかな笑い声 — bright and sunny. Complimentary, about character. Read ほがらか. Same character as 明朗.

Remember it 朗 (bright, clear) with the moon radical 月 → clear as a bright night.

無謀むぼうな挑戦ちょうせんだと反対はんたいされた。

They objected that it was a reckless undertaking.

Usage 無謀な挑戦, 無謀な運転 — foolhardy, taken on without weighing the consequences. 謀 is scheming, so 無謀 is going in with no plan at all. Read むぼう.

Remember it 無 (without) + 謀 (plan) → no plan behind it at all.

無邪気むじゃきな笑顔えがおに救すくわれた。

Her innocent smile was a relief.

Usage 無邪気な — artless, with no ill intent. 邪気 is malice. Of an adult it can hint at thoughtlessness. Read むじゃき.

Remember it 無 (without) + 邪気 (malice) → not a trace of malice in it.

明朗めいろうな会計かいけいを心こころがけている。

We make a point of keeping the accounts transparent.

Usage 明朗な性格, a sunny disposition; and 明朗会計, honest, itemised billing — a sign you will see in restaurants. Read めいろう.

Remember it 明 (bright) + 朗 (clear) → bright and clear, in temper or in the books.

国内こくない有数ゆうすうの規模きぼを誇ほこる。

It boasts one of the largest scales in the country.

Usage 〜有数の — among the very few at the top. It always follows the scope: 世界有数, 国内有数, 業界有数. Read ゆうすう.

Remember it 有 (there are) + 数 (a number) → few enough to be counted.

優雅ゆうがな身みのこなしに目めを奪うばわれた。

I was captivated by the elegance of her movements.

Usage 優雅な暮らし, 優雅な動き — graceful and unhurried. Complimentary. Read ゆうが. Close to 上品, with an added ease.

Remember it 優 (superior, gentle) + 雅 (refined) → refinement worn lightly.

術後じゅつごの経過けいかは良好りょうこうだ。

Progress after the operation is good.

Usage 経過が良好だ, 関係が良好だ — favourable. Written, common in medical reports and diplomatic news. Read りょうこう.

Remember it 良 (good) + 好 (favourable) → good, and going well.

冷淡れいたんな反応はんのうに落胆らくたんした。

I was disheartened by the cold response.

Usage 冷淡な態度, 冷淡な反応 — indifferent to another person's feelings. Read れいたん. Close to つれない but more formal.

Remember it 冷 (cold) + 淡 (pale) → cold, with the colour of feeling drained out.