Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
“A touch of,” “a slight degree of,” “somewhat,” or “a tendency toward (a state).”
🎯 Primary Function
To indicate a partial or mild state, usually with a negative or undesirable connotation.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb ます-stem + 気味 / Noun + 気味
Not typically used directly. Often replaced by a related Noun or Verb stem.
Not typically used directly. Often replaced by a related Noun or Verb stem.
Verb ない-form (remove い) + 気味 (e.g., やる気がない気味 – feeling slightly unmotivated)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used in business reports or professional contexts to describe slight, often negative, trends (e.g., sales are down).
Informal Situations
Very common for discussing personal feelings, health, or slight annoyances.
Written Language
Used in narrative texts, casual messages, and journalistic reports.
Spoken Language
Frequent and natural, particularly for self-reporting physical or mental states.
💡 Common Applications
Describing physical condition or slight illness.
Used to indicate the onset or presence of mild symptoms, often associated with feeling unwell.
Example: 風邪気味 (kaze-gimi)
Expressing emotional or psychological states.
Describes a person exhibiting signs of being slightly nervous, anxious, or down.
Example: 緊張気味 (kinchō-gimi)
Indicating a negative trend or tendency (e.g., in business or statistics).
Used to show that a number, price, or overall situation is slightly declining or trending downwards.
Example: 下がり気味 (sagari-gimi)
Frequency
High in daily conversation and news reporting.
Difficulty
N3-N2 Intermediate
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
残業のせいで、最近は疲れ気味だ。
Furigana: ざんぎょう の せい で、さいきん は つかれ ぎみ だ。
Romaji: Zangyō no sei de, saikin wa tsukare-gimi da.
English: I’ve been feeling a little tired recently because of overtime work.
Example #2
市場は下がり気味だから、注意が必要だ。
Furigana: いちば は さがり ぎみ だから、ちゅうい が ひつよう だ。
Romaji: Ichiba wa sagari-gimi dakara, chūi ga hitsuyō da.
English: The market is showing a tendency to decline, so we must be cautious.
Example #3
息子は風邪気味なので、学校を休ませた。
Furigana: むすこ は かぜ ぎみ なので、がっこう を やすま せた。
Romaji: Musuko wa kaze-gimi nanode, gakkō o yasumaseta.
English: My son has a slight cold, so he took the day off from school.
Example #4
彼はプレゼンテーションの時、緊張気味だった。
Furigana: かれ は プレゼンテーション の とき、きんちょう ぎみ だった。
Romaji: Kare wa purezentēshon no toki, kinchō-gimi datta.
English: He was somewhat nervous during the presentation.
Example #5
この頃、太り気味なので、運動をしなければ。
Furigana: このごろ、ふとり ぎみ なので、うんどう を しなければ。
Romaji: Kono goro, futori-gimi nanode, undō o shinakereba.
English: These days, I have a tendency to gain weight.
Example #6
新製品の初期の反応は、いささかガッカリ気味だった。
Furigana: しんせいひん の しょき の はんのう は、いささか がっかり ぎみ だった。
Romaji: Shinseihin no shoki no hannō wa, isasaka gakkari-gimi datta.
English: The initial response to the new product was a little disappointing.
Example #7
若い社員はやる気がない気味だ。
Furigana: わかい しゃいん は やるき が ない ぎみ だ。
Romaji: Wakai shain wa yaruki ga nai-gimi da.
English: The young employees tend to be a little unmotivated.
Example #8
最近、スケジュールが遅れ気味になっている。
Furigana: さいきん、スケジュール が おくれ ぎみ に なっている。
Romaji: Saikin, sukejūru ga okure-gimi ni natte iru.
English: The schedule has been running slightly behind recently.
Example #9
彼のスピーチは、少し批判気味の調子だった。
Furigana: かれ の スピーチ は、すこし ひはん ぎみ の ちょうし だった。
Romaji: Kare no supīchi wa, sukoshi hihan-gimi no chōshi datta.
English: His speech had a slightly critical tone.
Example #10
胃がもたれ気味で、あまり食べられない。
Furigana: い が もたれ ぎみ で、あまり たべられない。
Romaji: I ga motare-gimi de, amari taberarenai.
English: I can’t eat much because my stomach is feeling a bit upset.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Negative Connotation is Key
The pattern almost always describes an undesirable, negative, or problematic state. It is rarely, if ever, used to describe purely positive states (e.g., 幸せ気味 is unnatural).
Example: 「風邪気味」 (kaze-gimi), 「遅れ気味」 (okure-gimi)
Structure Adherence (Stem Form)
Ensure correct connection: for verbs, use the stem (before ます); for nouns, attach directly. This is crucial for correct usage.
Example: Verb: 疲れます → 疲れ気味 / Noun: 風邪 → 風邪気味
Functions as a Noun Phrase
Since 気味 functions like a noun, it requires the particle の when modifying a subsequent noun.
Example: 疲れ気味の顔 (tsukare-gimi no kao – a slightly tired face)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 疲れる気味 (tsukareru-gimi)
✅ Use the ます-stem of the verb (e.g., 疲れ-gimi).
It is incorrect to attach 気味 to the plain form of the verb (e.g., 疲れる気味). Always use the stem (the part before ます).
❌ 嬉しい気味 (ureshii-gimi) for slightly happy.
✅ Use other expressions like 〜っぽい or 〜みたい for strong resemblances.
気味 is reserved for expressing a subtle, internal state or a mild condition, not a strong, characteristic trait. It almost always carries a negative nuance.
❌ 寒い気味 (samui-gimi) for slightly cold.
✅ Use a Noun or Verb stem that describes the state. (e.g., 忙しい -> 忙しさ)
While 気味 can sometimes follow nouns derived from adjectives, it doesn’t typically follow I-adjectives directly.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral. Politeness is determined by the surrounding verb or copula (です/ます).
Social Situations: Often used as a softening device to report an undesirable state without sounding definitive (e.g., “I’m *a little* tired” rather than “I *am* tired”).
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese. No significant regional variations in usage or meaning.
🔍 Subtle Differences
気味 (gimi) vs. がち (gachi)
気味 describes a current state or slight degree of a condition. がち describes a tendency or habit to do something frequently.
When to use: Use 気味 for *how you feel right now* (I’m a bit tired). Use がち for *what you often do* (I tend to forget things).
気味 (gimi) vs. っぽい (ppoi)
気味 describes an internal state or tendency. っぽい describes an outward characteristic or strong resemblance (e.g., “childish,” “reddish”).
When to use: Use 気味 for health/mood (Slightly sick). Use っぽい for appearance/character (Child-like appearance).
気味 (gimi) vs. やや (yaya)
気味 is a suffix that expresses a subjective feeling/tendency, usually negative. やや is an adverb meaning “a little” or “slightly,” often used more objectively or formally.
When to use: Use 気味 for subjective negative feelings (I feel tired). Use やや for objective reports (The temperature is slightly high).
📝 Conjugation Notes
気味 acts like a noun. It can be followed by の to modify a noun (e.g., 疲れ気味の顔 – a tired face) or by だ/です to end a sentence. When following a verb, it must use the verb’s ます-stem.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounced “gimi” (ぎみ), not “kigumi” or “kiami.” The ‘g’ sound is voiced.
🧠 Memory Tips
Relate 気味 to the English phrase “a touch of.” Think of the kanji 味 (taste/flavor) as meaning “a taste of” or “a flavor of” some state (often tiredness, cold, or decline).
Other Grammar
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.