な形容詞 IV

鮮あざやかな手てさばきに見みとれた。

I was captivated by his brilliant handling.

Usage 鮮やかな色, vivid colour; and 鮮やかな手さばき, 鮮やかな勝利 — deft, clean, impressive. The second sense is the tested one. Read あざやか.

Remember it 鮮 (fresh, vivid) → so sharp and fresh it stands out.

同おなじ過あやまちを繰くり返かえすのは愚おろかだ。

Repeating the same mistake is foolish.

Usage 愚かな — foolish. Note that 〜は愚か is an entirely different N1 pattern: 読むことは愚か、見たこともない, let alone reading it, I have never even seen it.

Remember it 愚 (foolish) over the heart radical 心 → the folly is in the judgement, not the wits.

平日へいじつの客足きゃくあしは疎まばらだった。

Customers were sparse on weekdays.

Usage 疎らな — thinly scattered. Read まばら. Shares its 疎 with 疎い and 疎ましい.

Remember it 疎 (sparse) → spread thin with gaps between.

子こどもの健すこやかな成長せいちょうを願ねがう。

We wish the child healthy growth.

Usage 健やかな成長 — growing up sound in body and mind. Read すこやか. Formal, and common in good wishes.

Remember it 健 (healthy) → sound the whole way through.

密ひそかに準備じゅんびを進すすめていた。

He had been making preparations in secret.

Usage 密かに — secretly; the adverb is the usual form. 密かな楽しみ is a private pleasure. Read ひそか.

Remember it 密 (close, secret) → kept close and told to nobody.

僅わずか三さん日かで完成かんせいさせた。

He completed it in a mere three days.

Usage 僅か〜 — placed before a quantity to stress how small it is. 僅差 is a narrow margin. Read わずか.

Remember it 僅 (barely) → barely that much.

和なごやかな雰囲気ふんいきで会談かいだんが行おこなわれた。

The talks were held in a genial atmosphere.

Usage 和やかな雰囲気 is all but a fixed phrase and very common in news reports. The verb is 和む. Read なごやか.

Remember it 和 (harmony) → everyone in accord.

厳おごそかに式典しきてんが始はじまった。

The ceremony began solemnly.

Usage 厳かに — solemnly, majestically. Read おごそか — the same 厳 as 厳しい (きびしい) but a completely different word. A frequent trap.

Remember it 厳 (grave, strict) → gravity that hushes the room.

華はなやかな舞台ぶたいに立たつのが夢ゆめだった。

Standing on a glittering stage was my dream.

Usage 華やかな舞台, 華やかな経歴 — gorgeous, eye-catching. Read はなやか. Close to 華々しい, but 華やか is more about appearance.

Remember it 華 (flower, splendour) → in flower, and dressed for it.

軽かろやかな足取あしどりで歩あるき出だした。

She set off with a light step.

Usage 軽やかな足取り, 軽やかな音楽 — light and buoyant. Read かろやか, not かるやか. Close to 軽快.

Remember it 軽 (light) + やか → light on its feet.

規制きせいが緩ゆるやかになった。

The regulations have been relaxed.

Usage Three uses: 緩やかな坂, a gentle slope; 緩やかな規制, loose regulation; and 緩やかに増加, rising gradually. Read ゆるやか.

Remember it 緩 (slack, slow) → loosened off rather than held tight.

円熟えんじゅくした演技えんぎが高たかく評価ひょうかされた。

His mature performance was highly praised.

Usage 円熟した演技, 円熟した境地 — ripened by years of practice. Usually as 円熟した. A compliment for someone well into their craft.

Remember it 円 (round) + 熟 (ripe) → rounded out and ripe.

簡素かんそな式しきを希望きぼうしている。

They want a plain ceremony.

Usage 簡素な — plain and pared down. 簡素化する is to streamline. Neutral or approving, unlike 粗末, which is a criticism.

Remember it 簡 (simple) + 素 (plain) → simple and undecorated.

寡黙かもくだが仕事しごとは確たしかだ。

He says little, but his work is sound.

Usage 寡黙な人 — sparing of words. Formal, and usually approving, suggesting composure. Read かもく.

Remember it 寡 (few) + 黙 (silent) → few words and much silence.

敢然かんぜんと立たち向むかった。

He faced it boldly.

Usage 敢然と〜する — resolutely, going forward without flinching. Always with と. Written register. Relatives: 勇敢, 敢えて.

Remember it 敢 (dare) + 然 → daring to, and doing it.

奇抜きばつなデザインが話題わだいを呼よんだ。

The eccentric design got people talking.

Usage 奇抜な — startlingly unusual. Unlike 斬新, which is pure praise, 奇抜 can suggest oddity for its own sake. Read きばつ.

Remember it 奇 (strange) + 抜 (stand out) → strange enough to stick out.

気鋭きえいの研究けんきゅう者しゃが登壇とうだんした。

An up-and-coming researcher took the stage.

Usage 新進気鋭 — young, keen and rising — is the four-character compound in which you will meet this word. 鋭 means sharp. Read きえい.

Remember it 気 (spirit) + 鋭 (sharp) → a sharp edge on the spirit.

狡猾こうかつな手口てぐちに騙だまされた。

I was taken in by a cunning trick.

Usage 狡猾な — sly and calculating to bad ends. Strongly critical. Read こうかつ. Close to ずるい but far more formal.

Remember it 狡 (cunning) + 猾 (crafty), both on the beast radical 犭 → the cunning of an animal that hunts by trickery.

質実しつじつ剛健ごうけんを校訓こうくんとしている。

The school motto is plain living and sturdy character.

Usage 質実剛健 — unpretentious and robust — is effectively the word's only home, and a common school motto.

Remember it 剛 (hard, strong) + 健 (sound) → strong and in good order.

些細ささいなことで口論こうろんになった。

We fell into an argument over something trivial.

Usage 些細なこと — a trifle — is the usual phrase. Read ささい. 些 means a small amount.

Remember it 些 (a little) + 細 (fine) → small and fine enough to overlook.

雑多ざったな情報じょうほうの中なかから選えらび出だす。

Picking it out from a mass of miscellaneous information.

Usage 雑多な — a jumble of many kinds with no order. 種々雑多 means all sorts of everything. Read ざった.

Remember it 雑 (jumbled) + 多 (many) → many of them, and all mixed.

残忍ざんにんな事件じけんに世間せけんが震ふるえた。

The brutal crime sent a shudder through the public.

Usage 残忍な — savage. Stronger than 非情, which is coldness rather than cruelty. Read ざんにん. Close to 残酷, むごい.

Remember it 残 (harm) + 忍 (endure, be unmoved) → able to do the harm without flinching.

この道具どうぐは何なにかと重宝ちょうほうしている。

This tool comes in handy for all sorts of things.

Usage 重宝する — finding something useful. Read ちょうほう, not じゅうほう. The reading itself is a frequent exam item.

Remember it 重 (value) + 宝 (treasure) → treated as a treasure because it earns its keep.

従順じゅうじゅんなだけでは務つとまらない。

Being merely obedient will not see you through.

Usage 従順な — biddable. It can imply having no mind of your own. Read じゅうじゅん. Used of subordinates and of animals.

Remember it 従 (follow) + 順 (compliant) → following along without resistance.

純粋じゅんすいな気持きもちで応援おうえんしている。

I am cheering them on with no ulterior motive.

Usage 純粋な気持ち, pure of motive; and 純粋な日本産, unmixed or genuine. Read じゅんすい.

Remember it 純 (unmixed) + 粋 (essence) → the essence with nothing blended in.

深遠しんえんな哲学てつがく的てき問といだ。

It is a profound philosophical question.

Usage 深遠な — too deep to sound. Used of 思想, 哲学, 真理. Formal written style. Read しんえん.

Remember it 深 (deep) + 遠 (far) → deep, and far off at the bottom.

ご壮健そうけんで何なによりです。

I am glad to hear you are in good health.

Usage ご壮健で — used in formal letters to older recipients. Read そうけん.

Remember it 壮 (vigorous) + 健 (healthy) → vigorous and well with it.

率直そっちょくな意見いけんを聞きかせてください。

Please let me hear your frank opinion.

Usage 率直な意見 — a straight answer with no hedging. Read そっちょく, not りつちょく. The reading is a frequent exam item.

Remember it 率 (straightforward) + 直 (straight) → said straight out.

多忙たぼうを理由りゆうに断ことわられた。

He declined on the grounds of being very busy.

Usage ご多忙のところ — 'busy as you are' — is a standard opening in business correspondence. More formal than 忙しい. Read たぼう.

Remember it 多 (much) + 忙 (busy) → busy, and a great deal of it.

怠惰たいだな生活せいかつを改あらためたい。

I want to reform my idle way of life.

Usage 怠惰な — slothful. Formal, with a note of moral reproach. The verb is 怠る. Read たいだ.

Remember it 怠 (neglect) + 惰 (indolence) → neglect settled into a habit.

自由じゆう闊達かったつな校風こうふうで知しられる。

It is known for a free and open school culture.

Usage 自由闊達 — free and open-hearted — is the four-character compound you will meet. Read かったつ.

Remember it 闊 (wide) + 達 (unobstructed) → wide open and nothing in the way.

丹念たんねんに資料しりょうを読よみ込こんだ。

He read through the material painstakingly.

Usage 丹念に — carefully, bit by bit; the adverb is the usual form. 丹 is vermilion, suggesting wholehearted effort. Close to 入念.

Remember it 丹 (vermilion, sincerity) + 念 (attention) → attention paid as though it mattered deeply.

適宜てきぎ休憩きゅうけいを取とってください。

Please take breaks as you see fit.

Usage 適宜〜する — as appropriate, at your own discretion. It works as adjective and adverb alike. Read てきぎ. Common in instructions and notices.

Remember it 適 (suitable) + 宜 (fitting) → whatever fits the moment.

徹底てってい的てきに調しらべ直なおす必要ひつようがある。

It needs to be re-examined thoroughly.

Usage 徹底的に — exhaustively. 徹底する is to carry something through completely. 徹 is to pierce through, 底 the bottom. Read てっていてき.

Remember it 徹 (pierce through) + 底 (the bottom) + 的 → driven right through to the bottom.

温厚おんこう篤実とくじつな人物じんぶつと評ひょうされる。

He is described as a gentle and sincere man.

Usage 温厚篤実 — mild-mannered and sincere — is the four-character compound in which it appears, praising character. 篤 means warm-hearted and earnest. Read とくじつ.

Remember it 篤 (earnest) + 実 (true) → earnest and true with it.

鈍重どんじゅうな動うごきで相手あいてに遅おくれを取とった。

Sluggish movement left him trailing his opponent.

Usage 鈍重な — slow and heavy, lacking agility. Critical. Opposites: 軽快, 敏捷. Read どんじゅう.

Remember it 鈍 (blunt) + 重 (heavy) → blunt and heavy to move.

生半可なまはんかな気持きもちでは続つづかない。

You will not keep it up with a half-hearted attitude.

Usage 生半可な — half-baked, not carried through. 生半可な知識 is superficial knowledge. Read なまはんか. 生 means raw, unfinished.

Remember it 生 (raw) + 半 (half) + 可 → half done and still raw.

逆転ぎゃくてんの可能かのう性せいが濃厚のうこうになってきた。

The chance of a turnaround is looking strong.

Usage 濃厚な味, rich and thick; and the N1 sense 可能性が濃厚だ, a strong likelihood. The second is the tested one. Opposite: 淡白.

Remember it 濃 (concentrated) + 厚 (thick) → concentrated and thick with it.

困こまっている友ともを見捨みすてるとは薄情はくじょうだ。

To abandon a friend in difficulty is heartless.

Usage 薄情な — wanting in loyalty and feeling. Read はくじょう. Close to 冷淡, but 薄情 carries more of a moral charge.

Remember it 薄 (thin) + 情 (feeling) → feeling worn too thin to count on.

店みせは朝あさから繁盛はんじょうしている。

The shop has been busy since morning.

Usage 商売繁盛 — thriving trade — is a common blessing at shrines and shops. Read はんじょう. The subject is a shop or a business.

Remember it 繁 (luxuriant) + 盛 (flourishing) → growing thick and doing well.

卑近ひきんな例れいを挙あげて説明せつめいしよう。

Let me explain with a homely example.

Usage 卑近な例 — a familiar, everyday example — is effectively the only use. 卑 means low, close to the ground. Read ひきん.

Remember it 卑 (low) + 近 (near) → low down and close to hand.

不憫ふびんに思おもって引ひき取とることにした。

Feeling sorry for it, we decided to take it in.

Usage 不憫に思う — to pity, spoken from above downwards. Read ふびん. Also written 不愍.

Remember it 憫 (pity) on the heart radical 忄 → the heart moved by something small and helpless.

人口じんこう減少げんしょうは不可避ふかひだと言いわれる。

Population decline is said to be inevitable.

Usage 不可避な or 不可避の — unavoidable. Formal written style; speech uses 避けられない or やむを得ない. Read ふかひ.

Remember it 不 (not) + 可 (able) + 避 (avoid) → it cannot be avoided.

服装ふくそうには無頓着むとんちゃくな人ひとだ。

He is a man who pays no attention to how he dresses.

Usage 〜に無頓着だ — note the に. Read むとんちゃく, also むとんじゃく. 頓着 means concerning oneself with something.

Remember it 無 (without) + 頓着 (concern) → it never crosses his mind.

明快めいかいな論理ろんりで反論はんろんを封ふうじた。

He shut down the objection with lucid logic.

Usage 明快な論理, 明快な説明 — clear-cut, with nothing muddy in it. 単純明快 is plain and simple. Distinct from 明確, which is precision of content.

Remember it 明 (clear) + 快 (agreeable) → clear enough to be a pleasure to follow.

厳正げんせいな審査しんさの上うえ決定けっていいたします。

A decision will be made after strict and impartial review.

Usage 厳正な審査, 厳正中立 — rigorous and even-handed at once. Standard wording in competition announcements. Read げんせい.

Remember it 厳 (strict) + 正 (upright) → strict, and straight with everyone.

優柔ゆうじゅう不断ふだんな態度たいどが事態じたいを悪化あっかさせた。

An indecisive attitude made the situation worse.

Usage 優柔不断 — a four-character compound and a frequent exam item. 優柔 is softness, 不断 the failure to cut. Opposite: 果断.

Remember it 優柔 (soft, yielding) + 不断 (never cutting) → never bringing yourself to make the cut.

悠然ゆうぜんと構かまえているのが頼たのもしい。

It is reassuring to see him take it so calmly.

Usage 悠然と — unhurried and composed. Always with と. Same root as 悠々. Written register.

Remember it 悠 (leisurely) + 然 → taking it at its own pace.

陽気ようきな音楽おんがくに自然しぜんと体からだが動うごく。

Cheerful music sets you moving without thinking.

Usage 陽気な性格, cheerful — the opposite of 陰気; and, quite separately, the weather: 陽気がいい. Read ようき.

Remember it 陽 (sunlight) + 気 (air, mood) → the mood of a sunny day.

利口りこうな犬いぬですぐに芸げいを覚おぼえた。

It is a clever dog and picked up the trick at once.

Usage 利口な — bright, used of children and animals. 利口に立ち回る, manoeuvring cleverly, carries a hint of irony. Read りこう.

Remember it 利 (sharp) + 口 (mouth) → quick in the mouth, and quick in the head.

冷徹れいてつな目めで現実げんじつを見みつめる。

Looking at reality with a dispassionate eye.

Usage 冷徹な分析, 冷徹な目 — cold but clear-sighted. Unlike 冷淡, which is a criticism, 冷徹 praises the clarity. Read れいてつ.

Remember it 冷 (cold) + 徹 (see through) → cold enough to see straight through it.

老練ろうれんな交渉こうしょう術じゅつに舌したを巻まいた。

I was struck by his seasoned negotiating technique.

Usage 老練な — practised and battle-hardened. Complimentary. Close to 円熟, but 老練 stresses experience in the field. Read ろうれん.

Remember it 老 (old) + 練 (trained) → trained long enough to have seen it all.