How to say "impatient" in Japanese

• せっかちCommon
  na-adjective, nounImpatient as a personality trait: someone restless and hasty who cannot stand waiting and rushes things. Think of a person who fidgets in a queue, walks fast, and grows irritated at the slightest delay.
  せっかちな運転者うんてんしゃが赤信号あかしんごうを無視むしして交差点こうさてんを通とおりぬけた。↗

  An impatient driver forced his way through the crossing against the red light.
• うずうずCommon
  adverb (with と), suru verbA mimetic word for impatience as eagerness: the restless, itching-to-act feeling when you want to do something and can't yet, such as waiting for your turn to have a go.
  彼かれはそれを試ためしてみたくてうずうずしていた。↗

  He was panting to have a go at it.
• 性急せいきゅうCommon
  na-adjective, nounReally means hasty, rash or hurried rather than impatient: it paints someone who rushes what they are doing. For the feeling of impatience itself it is at best a marginal choice.
  性急せいきゅうな判断はんだんは危険きけんです。↗

  Quick judgements are dangerous.

Use 「せっかち」 for impatience as a temperament, someone hasty and restless who cannot wait; 「うずうず」 for the eager, itching-to-act feeling; 性急 chiefly means hasty or rash, and is only marginal for 'impatient'.

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

• せっかちhasty
• うずうずitching to do something
• 性急せいきゅうhasty
• じれったいirritating
• 気早きばやquick-tempered
• 気が短いきがみじかいquick-tempered
• 気が早いきがはやいhasty
• 気の早いきのはやいhasty
• 気の短いきのみじかいquick-tempered
• 弥猛やたけardent
• 歯がゆいはがゆい(feeling) impatient
• もどかしいirritating
• 気短きみじかimpatient