な形容詞 V

捨すてられた子猫こねこの姿すがたが哀あわれだった。

The abandoned kitten was a pitiful sight.

Usage 哀れな — pitiful. The verb 哀れむ is to feel pity. It also names the aesthetic idea もののあはれ, the pathos of transient things.

Remember it 哀 (grief) → what moves you to sorrow for it.

家業かぎょうは当分とうぶん安泰あんたいだろう。

The family business should be secure for the time being.

Usage 安泰だ — secure and free from upheaval. Used of 家, 会社, 地位, 老後. Formal. Read あんたい.

Remember it 安 (at ease) + 泰 (peaceful) → settled and untroubled.

陰気いんきな雰囲気ふんいきの店みせだった。

It was a shop with a gloomy atmosphere.

Usage 陰気な — dismal. Its direct opposite is 陽気, and the 陰/陽 pair is often tested together. Read いんき.

Remember it 陰 (shade) + 気 (air, mood) → the mood of a place the sun does not reach.

迂闊うかつにも締しめ切きりを忘わすれていた。

Carelessly, I had forgotten the deadline.

Usage 迂闊にも — careless enough to have done something — is the usual form. 迂闊なことは言えない means one cannot speak carelessly. Read うかつ.

Remember it 迂 (roundabout) + 闊 (loose) → mind wandering wide of where it should have been.

鋭敏えいびんな嗅覚きゅうかくを持もつ犬いぬだ。

It is a dog with an acute sense of smell.

Usage 鋭敏な感覚, 鋭敏な頭脳 — sharp and quick. More formal than 敏感. Read えいびん.

Remember it 鋭 (sharp) + 敏 (quick) → sharp, and quick to register.

横着おうちゃくをして手順てじゅんを飛とばした。

He cut corners and skipped a step.

Usage 横着をする — being lazy and brazen with it, deliberately leaving steps out. Unlike plain 怠惰, it adds nerve to the idleness. Read おうちゃく.

Remember it 横 (sideways, out of line) + 着 → getting there by cutting across.

自分じぶんの力ちからを過大かだいに評価ひょうかしていた。

I had been overrating my own abilities.

Usage 過大評価 — overestimation. Its direct opposite is 過小評価, and the two almost always appear together.

Remember it 過 (excess) + 大 (large) → reckoned larger than it is.

危険きけん性せいを過小かしょうに見積みつもっていた。

We had underestimated the danger.

Usage 過小評価する — to underrate. Opposite: 過大. Read かしょう, not かしょ.

Remember it 過 (excess) + 小 (small) → reckoned smaller than it is.

簡明かんめいな説明せつめいで助たすかった。

The concise, clear explanation was a help.

Usage 簡明な — short and clear at once. Close to 簡潔 and 明快. Written register.

Remember it 簡 (simple) + 明 (clear) → brief, and clear with it.

初動しょどうが肝要かんようだ。

The first response is what matters.

Usage 〜が肝要だ — the essential thing is. 肝 is the liver, an organ you cannot live without. Formal written style. Close to 肝心.

Remember it 肝 (liver) + 要 (essential) → the organ you cannot do without.

既存きそんの枠組わくぐみを見直みなおす必要ひつようがある。

The existing framework needs review.

Usage 既存の〜 — already in place. It always precedes a noun with の. Read きそん, also きぞん. Opposite: 新規.

Remember it 既 (already) + 存 (exist) → already there before you arrived.

希代きたいの名優めいゆうと称たたえられた。

He was hailed as an actor without equal in his age.

Usage 希代の〜 — rare in any generation. It always precedes a noun with の. Read きたい, also きだい.

Remember it 希 (rare) + 代 (generation) → rare across whole generations.

気温きおんが急激きゅうげきに下さがった。

The temperature dropped sharply.

Usage 急激に変化する — changing suddenly and steeply. The adverb is the usual form. Opposite: 緩やか. Read きゅうげき.

Remember it 急 (sudden) + 激 (violent) → sudden, and violent with it.

強靭きょうじんな精神せいしん力りょくが求もとめられる。

Tough mental strength is called for.

Usage 強靭な肉体, 強靭な精神力 — strong and flexible, so it does not snap. 靭 means resilient. Read きょうじん.

Remember it 強 (strong) + 靭 (supple) → strong because it gives instead of breaking.

堅実けんじつな経営けいえいで知しられる。

It is known for sound management.

Usage 堅実な経営, 堅実な生き方 — steady and unspeculative. Complimentary. Opposite: 無謀. Read けんじつ.

Remember it 堅 (firm) + 実 (solid) → firm and solid, with nothing risked on chance.

厳重げんじゅうな警備けいびが敷しかれた。

Strict security was put in place.

Usage 厳重な警備, 厳重な注意 — rigorous, with no gap left. 厳重に抗議する is to protest in the strongest terms. Read げんじゅう.

Remember it 厳 (strict) + 重 (heavy) → strictness with weight behind it.

高圧こうあつ的てきな物言ものいいに反発はんぱつした。

I bridled at his domineering way of speaking.

Usage 高圧的な態度, 高圧的な物言い — throwing your weight about. Critical. Close to 横柄. Read こうあつてき.

Remember it 高 (high) + 圧 (pressure) + 的 → pressure applied from above.

売うり上あげは好調こうちょうに推移すいいしている。

Sales are moving along well.

Usage 好調な滑り出し is a good start. Opposite: 不調. Used of sales, form and health. Read こうちょう.

Remember it 好 (good) + 調 (tune, condition) → in good tune.

些少さしょうですがお納おさめください。

It is only a trifle, but please accept it.

Usage 些少ですが — a modest formula when giving a gift or money. Formal, used in correspondence. Read さしょう.

Remember it 些 (a little) + 少 (few) → a little, and not much of it.

全員ぜんいんの合意ごういを得えるのは至難しなんの業わざだ。

Getting everyone to agree is next to impossible.

Usage 至難の業 — a task of the utmost difficulty — is all but fixed, and the word's usual home. 至 means reaching the extreme. Read しなん.

Remember it 至 (to the utmost) + 難 (difficult) → difficult as far as difficulty goes.

地道じみちな努力どりょくが実みを結むすんだ。

Steady effort bore fruit.

Usage 地道な努力 — patient, unglamorous, reliable work. Complimentary. Read じみち, not ちどう — the reading is a frequent exam item.

Remember it 地 (ground) + 道 (path) → keeping to the path on the ground, not the shortcut.

重大じゅうだいな決断けつだんを迫せまられている。

He is faced with a momentous decision.

Usage 重大な決断, 重大な影響 — grave. Heavier than 大事. 重大視する is to regard as serious. Read じゅうだい.

Remember it 重 (heavy) + 大 (great) → heavy, and great in consequence.

柔弱にゅうじゃくな態度たいどでは交渉こうしょうに勝かてない。

You will not win a negotiation with a weak-willed attitude.

Usage 柔弱な — spineless, wanting in resolve. Read にゅうじゃく, not じゅうじゃく. Close to 軟弱.

Remember it 柔 (soft) + 弱 (weak) → soft, and weak with it.

純朴じゅんぼくな人柄ひとがらに心こころが和なごんだ。

His simple, honest character was a comfort.

Usage 純朴な — unspoilt and guileless. Complimentary. Close to 素朴, but 純朴 is used of people. Read じゅんぼく.

Remember it 純 (unmixed) + 朴 (plain wood) → unmixed and still in its natural grain.

事態じたいは思おもった以上いじょうに深刻しんこくだ。

The situation is graver than we thought.

Usage 深刻な問題, 深刻な顔 — serious, weighing on you. 深刻化する is to grow worse. Read しんこく.

Remember it 深 (deep) + 刻 (carve) → cut deep enough to leave a mark.

清冽せいれつな湧わき水みずが流ながれている。

Clear, cold spring water flows there.

Usage 清冽な水, 清冽な流れ — pure and icy. Used almost only of water. Written and vivid. Read せいれつ.

Remember it 清 (clear) + 冽 (icy) with the ice radical 冫 → clear and cold enough to make your teeth ache.

清廉せいれん潔白けっぱくを訴うったえた。

He protested his complete integrity.

Usage 清廉潔白 — upright and beyond reproach — is the four-character compound in which it usually appears, said of officials and politicians. Read せいれん.

Remember it 清 (clean) + 廉 (honest) → clean hands and an honest name.

精力せいりょく的てきに各地かくちを回まわっている。

He is travelling energetically from place to place.

Usage 精力的に活動する — working tirelessly. The adverb is the usual form. Read せいりょくてき.

Remember it 精力 (vigour) + 的 → running on vigour.

切実せつじつな願ねがいを聞きき入いれてほしい。

I hope our heartfelt wish will be granted.

Usage 切実な願い, 切実な問題 — pressing, felt to the bone. 切実に感じる is to feel something acutely. Read せつじつ.

Remember it 切 (cutting) + 実 (real) → it cuts, because it is real to you.

繊細せんさいな感性かんせいの持もち主ぬしだ。

She has a delicate sensibility.

Usage 繊細な感性, 繊細なデザイン, finely wrought; and 繊細な人, someone easily hurt. Opposites: 大胆, がさつ. Read せんさい.

Remember it 繊 (fine fibre) + 細 (slender) → fine as a thread.

当時とうじの記憶きおくが今いまも鮮明せんめいだ。

My memory of the time is still vivid.

Usage 鮮明な記憶, 鮮明な画像 — sharp and distinct. 鮮明にする is to make a position clear. Opposite: 不鮮明. Read せんめい.

Remember it 鮮 (vivid) + 明 (clear) → vivid and clear in outline.

一面いちめんの花畑はなばたけは壮観そうかんだった。

The field of flowers stretching away was a magnificent sight.

Usage 壮観だ — an overwhelming spectacle. Both noun and adjective, and usually at the end of the sentence. Read そうかん.

Remember it 壮 (magnificent) + 観 (sight) → a sight on the grand scale.

議論ぎろんは多岐たきにわたった。

The discussion ranged widely.

Usage 多岐にわたる — extending over many areas — is all but fixed. 岐 is a fork in the road. Written register. Read たき.

Remember it 多 (many) + 岐 (fork in the road) → branching off in many directions.

力ちから不足ぶそくを痛切つうせつに感かんじた。

I felt my own inadequacy keenly.

Usage 痛切に感じる — feeling something acutely; it goes almost only with 感じる. Distinguish 痛烈, which is about scathing criticism. Read つうせつ.

Remember it 痛 (pain) + 切 (cutting) → felt as something that cuts.

低俗ていぞくな番組ばんぐみだと批判ひはんされた。

It was criticised as a vulgar programme.

Usage 低俗な — cheap and lowbrow in taste. Its direct opposite is 高尚. Read ていぞく.

Remember it 低 (low) + 俗 (common) → pitched low to the common taste.

適切てきせつな処置しょちが取とられた。

Appropriate measures were taken.

Usage 適切な対応, 適切な表現 — fitting to the circumstances. Opposite: 不適切. Distinguish 的確, which is hitting the mark exactly.

Remember it 適 (suitable) + 切 (apt) → suited and apt to the case.

両者りょうしゃを同等どうとうに扱あつかうべきだ。

The two should be treated as equals.

Usage 〜と同等 — equivalent in value or rank. 同等に扱う is to treat alike. Read どうとう.

Remember it 同 (same) + 等 (grade) → the same grade as the other.

特異とくいな才能さいのうの持もち主ぬしだ。

He is a man of singular talent.

Usage 特異な — out of the ordinary, one of a kind. Read とくい — identical in sound to 得意, one's strong suit, but quite different. A frequent trap.

Remember it 特 (special) + 異 (different) → special in being unlike the rest.

軟弱なんじゃくな地盤じばんの上うえに建たてられていた。

It had been built on soft ground.

Usage 軟弱な地盤, soft ground; and 軟弱な態度, a spineless attitude. Read なんじゃく. Close to 柔弱 in the second sense.

Remember it 軟 (soft) + 弱 (weak) → soft, and it will not bear weight.

頻繁ひんぱんに連絡れんらくを取とり合あっている。

We are in frequent contact with each other.

Usage 頻繁に — frequently, over and over. The adverb is the usual form. 頻 means one after another. Read ひんぱん.

Remember it 頻 (repeatedly) + 繁 (thick, many) → happening thick and fast.

原因げんいんは今いまのところ不明ふめいだ。

The cause is unknown for the moment.

Usage 原因が不明, 行方が不明 — undetermined. 行方不明 means missing. Note that 不明を恥じる, to be ashamed of one's own ignorance, is a different sense.

Remember it 不 (not) + 明 (clear) → not brought into the light.

不断ふだんの努力どりょくが今日きょうを築きずいた。

Unceasing effort built what we have today.

Usage 不断の努力 — constant effort. It sounds identical to 普段, everyday, but means something quite different. It also appears in 優柔不断.

Remember it 不 (not) + 断 (break off) → never once broken off.

無為むいに時間じかんを過すごしてしまった。

I ended up passing the time doing nothing.

Usage 無為に過ごす — idling away. 無為自然 is the Taoist ideal of acting in accord with nature. Read むい.

Remember it 無 (without) + 為 (doing) → without anything done.

正確せいかく無比むひの技術ぎじゅつに驚おどろかされた。

I was astonished by the matchless accuracy of the technique.

Usage 〜無比 — unequalled. It always follows the word it qualifies: 正確無比, 痛快無比. Written register. Read むひ.

Remember it 無 (no) + 比 (comparison) → there is nothing to set beside it.

明晰めいせきな頭脳ずのうで知しられている。

He is known for a lucid mind.

Usage 明晰な頭脳, 明晰な論理 — clear and well ordered. It goes with little besides 頭脳, 論理 and 意識. Read めいせき.

Remember it 明 (bright) + 晰 (distinct) → bright, and every part distinct.

猛烈もうれつな勢いきおいで追おい上あげてきた。

They came charging up at a furious pace.

Usage 猛烈な勢い, 猛烈な暑さ — fierce, violent. The adverb 猛烈に is equally common. Read もうれつ.

Remember it 猛 (ferocious) + 烈 (violent) → ferocious and violent at once.

交渉こうしょうを優位ゆういに進すすめた。

They conducted the negotiations from a position of advantage.

Usage 優位に立つ — to hold the upper hand. Opposite: 劣位. The noun 優位性 means superiority. Read ゆうい.

Remember it 優 (superior) + 位 (position) → standing in the better position.

有益ゆうえきな助言じょげんをいただいた。

I was given useful advice.

Usage 有益な情報, 有益な助言 — beneficial. Opposites: 有害, 無益. More formal than 役に立つ. Read ゆうえき.

Remember it 有 (there is) + 益 (benefit) → there is a benefit in it.

裕福ゆうふくな家庭かていに育そだった。

She grew up in an affluent household.

Usage 裕福な家庭 — well-off. More formal than 金持ち. Opposite: 貧しい. Read ゆうふく.

Remember it 裕 (abundant) + 福 (fortune) → plenty, and good fortune with it.

良質りょうしつな素材そざいだけを使つかっている。

They use only good-quality materials.

Usage 良質な〜, also 良質の. Opposites: 粗悪, 低質. Read りょうしつ.

Remember it 良 (good) + 質 (quality) → good in what it is made of.

実力じつりょくの差さは歴然れきぜんとしている。

The gap in ability is unmistakable.

Usage 歴然としている — plain beyond argument. Always with と and する. 歴然たる差 is a clear difference. Read れきぜん.

Remember it 歴 (plainly, one after another) + 然 → laid out so plainly you can count it.