How to say "conscientious" in Japanese

• まめCommon
  na-adjectiveDescribes a person who is diligent and hardworking, steadily attending to whatever needs doing. Use it for 'conscientious' in the sense of an industrious, attentive worker.
  彼女かのじょってまめだね。↗

  She doesn't have a lazy bone in her body.
• 良心的りょうしんてきCommon
  na-adjectiveCovers the moral sense of 'conscientious': honest and guided by conscience. It also describes prices as reasonable or fair, a usage where English would not say 'conscientious'.
  賢明けんめいで良心りょうしん的てきな人ひとに助言じょげんを求もとめなさい。↗

  Take counsel with a man who is wise and of a good conscience.
• 念入りねんいりCommon
  na-adjective, nounDescribes work or actions done with painstaking, scrupulous care — 'conscientious' in the sense of thorough and meticulous. It points to how something is done rather than to a person's character.
  ジョンは、念入ねんいりにその事故じこを調査ちょうさした。↗

  John investigated the accident thoroughly.
• 律儀りちぎCommon
  na-adjective, nounDescribes a person who is upright, honest, and faithful in meeting obligations — 'conscientious' as dutiful and steadfast. Fits someone who reliably does what is expected of them.
• 丁寧ていねいJLPT N4approx.Common
  na-adjective, nounMainly means polite and courteous; its 'careful, thorough' side describes work done or things handled with close attention. For 'conscientious' it is at best a loose fit — seldom the word you want.
  漢字かんじを書かくときは点てんやはらいに気きをつけて、なるべく早はやくていねいに書かきましょう。↗

  When drawing kanji be careful of dots and sweeps, write as carefully and quickly as possible.

Choose 「まめ」 for a diligent, hardworking person, 良心的 for honesty guided by conscience (or a fair price), 「念入り」 for painstakingly thorough work, 律儀 for dutiful, upright faithfulness, and 丁寧 chiefly for careful, polite handling.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• まめdiligent
• 良心的りょうしんてきconscientious
• 念入りねんいりcareful
• 律義りちぎupright
• 謹直きんちょくconscientious
• まめまめしいhardworking
• 丁寧ていねいcareful
• ご丁寧ごていねいcareful