感情・性格

試験しけんの結果けっかが不安ふあんで眠ねむれなかった。

I was so worried about my exam results that I couldn't sleep.

Usage 不安 = anxiety, unease: 不安を感じる, 不安になる, 将来が不安だ (worried about the future). 不安定 = unstable. Its opposite is 安心 (relief, peace of mind).

Remember it 不 (not) + 安 (at ease) → not at ease. The opposite of 安心.

彼は性格せいかくが明あかるくて誰だれとでも仲良なかよくなれる。

He has a cheerful personality and can get along with anyone.

Usage 性格 = personality, character: 性格がいい (good-natured), 明るい性格 (cheerful), 性格が合う (get along). Japanese describes character as bright or dark: 明るい / 暗い.

Remember it 性 (nature) + 格 (character, standing) → what you are made of.

あの先生せんせいは厳きびしいが実力じつりょくがつく。

That teacher is strict, but you really build your skills.

Usage 厳しい = strict or harsh: 厳しい先生, 厳しい寒さ (bitter cold), 厳しい状況 (a tough situation), 経営が厳しい (business is struggling).

Remember it 厳 (severe, stern) → the same kanji as 厳格 (strict) and 厳重 (tight security).

彼女は真面目まじめに勉強べんきょうして成績せいせきを上あげた。

She studied diligently and raised her grades.

Usage 真面目 is diligent, sincere and reliable, high praise in Japan: 真面目な人, 真面目に働く. English 'serious' can sound dull, but 真面目 doesn't. 不真面目 = not serious, slacking.

Remember it 真 (true) + 面目 (face) → showing your true face.

積極的せっきょくてきに意見いけんを発言はつげんすることが大切たいせつだ。

It's important to speak up with your opinions proactively.

Usage 積極的 means proactive and forthcoming: 積極的に参加する, 積極的な姿勢. For 'positive' in mood, say 前向き (まえむき). Its opposite is 消極的.

Remember it 積 (to pile up) + 極 (extreme) + 的 → pushing forward to the limit.

消極的しょうきょくてきな態度たいどでは成長せいちょうできない。

You can't grow with a passive attitude.

Usage 消極的 means passive or reluctant, not negative in mood (that's 否定的 or 悲観的): 消極的な態度, 消極的な賛成 (lukewarm support).

Remember it 消 (to extinguish) + 極 (extreme) + 的 → dying down, the mirror of 積極的.

彼は社交的しゃこうてきで初対面しょたいめんの人ひとともすぐすぐ打ち解けるうちとける。

He's sociable and quickly warms up even to people he's just met.

Usage 社交的 = sociable, outgoing: 社交的な性格. Its opposites: 内気 (shy) and 人見知り (ひとみしり, shy with strangers). 社交辞令 means polite small talk you don't mean.

Remember it 社交 (社 society + 交 mixing: socializing) + 的 → good at mixing in society.

内気うちきな性格せいかくを直なおそうと努力どりょくしている。

I'm trying to overcome my shy nature.

Usage 内気 = shy, reserved: 内気な子. 人見知り is shyness with strangers specifically. 内向的 (ないこうてき) is introverted, a more psychological term.

Remember it 内 (inside) + 気 (spirit) → a spirit that stays inside.

成功せいこうしても謙虚けんきょな態度たいどを忘わすれないようにしている。

Even when I succeed, I try not to forget to stay humble.

Usage 謙虚 = humble, modest: 謙虚な態度, 謙虚に学ぶ. It is a core virtue in Japan. 謙遜 (けんそん) is the act of playing yourself down. Its opposite is 傲慢.

Remember it 謙 (humble) + 虚 (empty) → humble and empty of pride.

傲慢ごうまんな態度たいどは周囲しゅういの人ひとに嫌きらわれる。

An arrogant attitude makes people around you dislike you.

Usage 傲慢 = arrogant, haughty: 傲慢な態度, 傲慢な人. 生意気 is cheeky, said of juniors; 偉そう (えらそう) is the casual 'bossy, full of yourself'.

Remember it 傲 (proud) + 慢 (to look down on) → proud and looking down on others.

誠実せいじつな対応たいおうがお客様おきゃくさまの信頼しんらいを得えた。

Sincere service won the customers' trust.

Usage 誠実 = sincere, honest, faithful: 誠実な人, 誠実に対応する (handle something in good faith). 正直 (しょうじき) is honest in the sense of not lying.

Remember it 誠 (sincerity) + 実 (true, real) → truly sincere.

根性こんじょうがあればどんなどんな困難こんなんも乗のり越こえられる。

With enough grit, you can overcome any difficulty.

Usage 根性 is grit or guts: 根性がある, 根性を見せる (show your grit), 根性論 (the belief that willpower beats everything). It can also mean character in a bad sense: 根性が悪い (mean-spirited).

Remember it 根 (root) + 性 (nature) → your nature, right down to the root.

忍耐にんたいが実みを結むすび合格ごうかくできた。

My patience paid off and I passed.

Usage 忍耐 = patience, endurance: 忍耐力 (staying power), 忍耐強い (very patient), 忍耐が必要だ. 我慢 (がまん) is the everyday word for putting up with something.

Remember it 忍 (to endure: a blade 刃 over the heart 心) + 耐 (to bear) → bearing a blade over your heart.

羞恥心しゅうちしんがなければ人ひとは恥はずかしいことを平気へいきでする。

Without a sense of shame, people do embarrassing things without a second thought.

Usage 羞恥心 is the sense of shame or modesty: 羞恥心がない (shameless), 羞恥心を感じる. In everyday speech, 恥ずかしい (embarrassed).

Remember it 羞 (bashful) + 恥 (shame) + 心 (heart) → a heart that feels shame.

劣等感れっとうかんが強つよいと自分じぶんに自信じしんが持もてない。

If your sense of inferiority is strong, you can't have confidence in yourself.

Usage 劣等感 = inferiority complex: 劣等感を持つ, 劣等感を克服する (overcome it). コンプレックス is the common loanword. Its opposite is 優越感.

Remember it 劣 (inferior: 少 little + 力 strength) + 等 (grade) + 感 (feeling) → the feeling of being a lower grade.

他人より優れてすぐれていると感かんじると優越感ゆうえつかんを覚おぼえる。

When you feel you're better than others, you get a sense of superiority.

Usage 優越感 = a feeling of superiority: 優越感に浸る (bask in superiority). Its opposite is 劣等感.

Remember it 優 (superior) + 越 (to surpass) + 感 (feeling) → the feeling of surpassing others.

自尊心じそんしんを傷きずつけるような言いい方かたはしてはいけない。

You mustn't speak in a way that hurts someone's pride.

Usage 自尊心 = self-respect, pride: 自尊心を傷つける (hurt someone's pride), 自尊心が強い. プライド is the everyday loanword. 自己肯定感 is self-esteem in psychology.

Remember it 自 (self) + 尊 (to respect) + 心 (heart) → a heart that respects itself.

嘘うそをついた後あと、罪悪感ざいあくかんに苦くるしんだ。

After I told a lie, I was tormented by guilt.

Usage 罪悪感 = guilt: 罪悪感を感じる, 罪悪感に苛まれる (さいなまれる, be tormented by guilt). Also playful: 罪悪感なしで食べられる (guilt-free snacks).

Remember it 罪 (crime) + 悪 (bad) + 感 (feeling) → the feeling you've done something bad.

締め切りしめきりが迫せまってきて焦りあせりを感かんじた。

As the deadline drew near, I felt anxious.

Usage 焦り is the anxious feeling of needing to hurry: 焦りを感じる. The verb is 焦る (あせる): 焦らないで (don't panic), 焦って失敗する (fail from rushing).

Remember it 焦 (to scorch: a bird 隹 over fire 灬) → a bird scrambling over the flames.

突然とつぜんの質問しつもんに戸惑いとまどいを感かんじた。

The sudden question left me confused.

Usage 戸惑い is confusion about how to act: 戸惑いを感じる, 戸惑いを隠せない. The verb is 戸惑う: 新しい環境に戸惑う (feel lost in a new environment).

Remember it 戸 (door) + 惑う (to be lost) → lost at the door, not knowing which way to go.

過去かこへの執着しゅうちゃくを捨すてて前まえに進すすもう。

Let go of your attachment to the past and move forward.

Usage 執着する = to cling to: 過去に執着する, お金に執着する. It is usually negative. こだわる is similar but can be positive: 味にこだわる (be particular about flavor).

Remember it 執 (to grasp) + 着 (to stick) → grasping and sticking fast.

あの時とき諦あきらめなければよかったと後悔こうかいしている。

I regret giving up that time.

Usage 後悔する = to regret: 〜したことを後悔する, 後悔しない選択. The proverb 後悔先に立たず means regret never comes first, so it's no use afterwards.

Remember it 後 (after) + 悔 (to regret) → regret that comes after.

暴力ぼうりょくに嫌悪けんおを感かんじる。

I feel disgust at violence.

Usage 嫌悪 is strong aversion: 嫌悪感 (a feeling of disgust), 自己嫌悪 (self-loathing, common in everyday speech). It is much stronger than 嫌い.

Remember it 嫌 (to dislike) + 悪 (to hate) → dislike and hatred.

地震じしんの恐怖きょうふが今いまでも頭あたまから離はなれない。

The terror of the earthquake still hasn't left my mind.

Usage 恐怖 = fear, terror: 恐怖を感じる, 恐怖心 (fear), 恐怖症 (phobia), 高所恐怖症 (fear of heights), ホラー映画 or 恐怖映画 (horror film).

Remember it 恐 (to fear) + 怖 (to be scared) → fear on top of fear.

長ながい苦悩くのうの末すえ決断けつだんした。

After a long period of anguish, I made my decision.

Usage 苦悩 is deep anguish, a literary word: 苦悩する, 苦悩の末に (after much agonizing). In speech, 悩む or 苦しむ.

Remember it 苦 (suffering) + 悩 (worry) → suffering and worry.

愛あいする人ひとを失うしない悲嘆ひたんに暮くれた。

Having lost someone I loved, I was overcome with grief.

Usage 悲嘆 is grief, a literary word: 悲嘆に暮れる (be lost in grief). Everyday: 悲しみ (かなしみ).

Remember it 悲 (sad) + 嘆 (to lament) → sad lamenting.

何度なんども失敗しっぱいして絶望ぜつぼうしかけた。

After failing so many times, I nearly gave in to despair.

Usage 絶望 = despair: 絶望する, 絶望的 (hopeless). The ladder: 希望 (hope) → 失望 (disappointment) → 絶望 (despair).

Remember it 絶 (to cut off) + 望 (hope) → hope cut off.

グループグループの中なかで孤立こりつしてしまった。

I ended up isolated within the group.

Usage 孤立 = isolation: 孤立する, 孤立化 (becoming isolated), 孤立無援 (alone and without help). Also used for villages cut off by disasters: 孤立集落.

Remember it 孤 (alone) + 立 (to stand) → standing alone.

スマホに依存いぞんしすぎて日常生活にちじょうせいかつに影響えいきょうが出でている。

I've become so dependent on my smartphone that it's affecting my daily life.

Usage 依存 is dependence: 〜に依存する, 依存症 (addiction), スマホ依存, アルコール依存症. It is also read いそん. 頼る (たよる) is to rely on, in a neutral sense.

Remember it 依 (to rely on) + 存 (to exist) → existing by relying on something.

鬱うつになって仕事しごとを休やすまなければならなくなった。

I became depressed and had to take time off work.

Usage 鬱 is depression, usually written うつ: うつ病 (clinical depression), 鬱になる. It is one of the most complex jōyō kanji (29 strokes), so most people write it in kana.

Remember it Twenty-nine strokes packed tight: a dense, crowded kanji for a heavy, crowded mind.

パニックパニックになりそうな時ときでも平静へいせいを保たもつことが大事だいじだ。

Even when you feel close to panic, it's important to stay calm.

Usage 平静 is composure: 平静を保つ (keep your composure), 平静を装う (よそおう, pretend to be calm). 冷静 (れいせい) is cool-headed thinking.

Remember it 平 (level) + 静 (quiet) → level and quiet.

思いやりおもいやりのある言葉ことばが相手あいての心こころを救すくう。

Kind, caring words can save a person's heart.

Usage 思いやり is consideration for others, a core Japanese value: 思いやりのある人, 思いやりを持つ. The verb 思いやる means to imagine how others feel.

Remember it 思い (thoughts) + やる (to send) → sending your thoughts toward others.

几帳面きちょうめんな性格せいかくのおかげでミスミスが少すくない。

Thanks to my meticulous nature, I rarely make mistakes.

Usage 几帳面 = meticulous, precise and orderly: 几帳面な性格. It is usually praise, but 几帳面すぎる means fussy. Its opposite is だらしない or 大雑把 (おおざっぱ, rough and ready).

Remember it 几帳 (a curtain stand in old palaces) + 面 (surface) → the carefully finished surface of a fine piece of furniture.

向上心こうじょうしんを持もって常つねに自分じぶんを高たかめようとしている。

I have a drive to improve and always try to better myself.

Usage 向上心 is the drive to keep improving: 向上心がある, 向上心が強い. Employers love to hear it in interviews. 向上 = improvement: 品質向上.

Remember it 向上 (向 facing + 上 up: improvement) + 心 (heart) → a heart facing upward.

困難こんなんに立たち向むかう気概きがいがある人ひとは成功せいこうする。

People who have the spirit to face difficulties head-on succeed.

Usage 気概 is spirit or mettle, a written, admiring word: 気概がある, 〜という気概を持つ. 意気込み (いきごみ) is enthusiasm for a specific task.

Remember it 気 (spirit) + 概 (general bearing) → the bearing of your spirit.

負まけを認みとめる潔いさぎよい態度たいどが周囲しゅういに好感こうかんを与あたえた。

The gracious way they admitted defeat won everyone's respect.

Usage 潔い means clean and decisive, without clinging on: 潔く負けを認める (admit defeat gracefully), 潔く引退する. Its opposite is 未練がましい (みれんがましい, clinging on).

Remember it 氵 (water) + 絜 (clean) → washed clean.

卑屈ひくつな態度たいどは自分じぶんを小ちいさく見みせてしまう。

A servile attitude makes you look small.

Usage 卑屈 is groveling or self-abasing: 卑屈になる, 卑屈な態度. 謙虚 is healthy modesty; 卑屈 is running yourself down too far.

Remember it 卑 (low) + 屈 (to bend) → bending down low.

失恋しつれんして自暴自棄じぼうじきになってしまった。

After my heartbreak, I stopped caring what happened to me.

Usage 自暴自棄 is a four-kanji idiom for self-destructive despair: 自暴自棄になる. Idioms like this (四字熟語) come up often at N2.

Remember it 自暴 (harming yourself) + 自棄 (abandoning yourself) → harming and abandoning yourself.

負けず嫌いまけずぎらいな性格せいかくのおかげでどんなどんな時ときも諦あきらめない。

Thanks to my competitive nature, I never give up, whatever happens.

Usage 負けず嫌い = someone who hates to lose: 負けず嫌いな性格. It is usually positive, showing drive, though it can also mean stubborn. Oddly, it literally says 'hates not losing'.

Remember it 負けず (not losing) + 嫌い (dislike) → the grammar is odd, but the meaning is simple: can't stand losing.