How to say "rigid" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 厳しいきびしいi-adjectiveCovers 'rigid' as strict and harsh: inflexible demands, standards, or discipline that allow no leniency. It is the most general of these words, also covering severe conditions and unsparing treatment.
- 厳正げんせいna-adjective, nounSeldom the word you want for 'rigid': it really means exact and fair — strict, impartial judgment or evaluation, the fairness expected of a judge or examiner.
- 厳重げんじゅうna-adjective, nounCovers 'rigid' as stringent: tight security, strict precautions, rigorous controls. It describes how thoroughly something is guarded, checked, or enforced, not the stiffness of a person or object.
- 厳格げんかくna-adjective, nounCovers 'rigid' as stern and inflexible in character or discipline: a stern parent, rigid adherence to rules, an unbending sense of duty. It describes persons and attitudes more than physical things.
- 窮屈きゅうくつna-adjective, nounCovers 'rigid' as stiff, cramped, or constrained: tight clothes, a cramped space, the discomfort of formal or ceremonious occasions. Its 'strict' sense applies to rules or requirements that feel confining rather than severe.
Choose 「厳しい」 for harsh, unsparing strictness, 厳格 for stern, inflexible discipline, 厳重 for stringent security or precautions, 厳正 for exact, impartial judgment, and 窮屈 for stiffness, a cramped feel, or confining formality.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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