古臭い・古くさい|ふるくさいfurukusai[4]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
古臭い古臭い（ふるくさい） is the more common written form and the one beginners should normally choose. It describes something as stale, old-fashioned, hackneyed, or trite.
古くさい古くさい（ふるくさい） is a less common written variant of 古臭い（ふるくさい）. You may encounter it, but beginners should generally choose 古臭い（ふるくさい） instead.
Definitions
- i-adjectivestale; old fashioned; hackneyed; trite; antiquated; obsolete; musty; outdated
Conjugation
| Plain form | 古臭い（ふるくさい） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 古臭いです（ふるくさいです） |
| Negative (kunai) | 古臭くない（ふるくさくない） |
| polite (ku arimasen) | 古臭くありません（ふるくさくありません） |
| Past (katta) | 古臭かった（ふるくさかった） |
| Past negative (kunakatta) | 古臭くなかった（ふるくさくなかった） |
| Te form (kute) | 古臭くて（ふるくさくて） |
| Adverbial (ku) | 古臭く（ふるくさく） |
| Conditional (kereba) | 古臭ければ（ふるくさければ） |
| kattara | 古臭かったら（ふるくさかったら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym陳腐ちんぷWrittenWritten/formal prose. Describes phrases or ideas so overused they feel stale and unoriginal, as in 「陳腐な表現」.
- Synonym昔風むかしふうNeutralNeutral. Describes styles or practices of the past; it can be matter-of-fact or even nostalgic, unlike the critical 古臭い.
- Synonym古めかしいふるめかしいNeutralNeutral. Emphasizes simply looking very old; it can suggest old-world charm, whereas 古臭い stresses being outdated and tiresome.
- Synonym大時代おおじだいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Applies to lines, prose style, or speech and behavior that are exaggerated and out of step with the times, with a theatrical feel.
- Related古いふるいNeutralNeutral and the most common everyday word: it stresses the passage of time and, unlike 古臭い, need not carry a disparaging, outdated ring.
- Related旧式きゅうしきNeutralNeutral and fairly objective: refers to old models or old methods, as in 「旧式の車」, without the dismissive feel of 古臭い.
- Relatedカビ臭いかびくさいCasualColloquial. Refers to a musty smell, or to ideas that are old and moldy with age — a spoken counterpart to 古臭い.
- Related前時代的ぜんじだいてきWrittenWritten/formal prose. Suggests something belongs to a previous era and does not fit the present day.
- Related前近代的ぜんきんだいてきWrittenWritten/formal prose. Points to premodern, feudal-era traits in society or thinking, carrying a strong critical tone.
- Antonym新しいあたらしいNeutralNeutral and the everyday word for new; it stands in direct contrast to the stale, outdated nuance of 古臭い.
- Antonym斬新なWrittenWritten/formal prose. Means strikingly novel and unprecedented, the direct opposite of hackneyed 古臭い.
- Antonym現代的なNeutralNeutral. Means modern, in step with contemporary style — the opposite of the outdated feel of 古臭い.
Use 「古臭い」 for anything old, outdated and tiresome, with a negative ring, as in 「古臭い考え方」. For plain oldness say 「古い」; for worn-out phrases 「陳腐」; for musty or moldy ideas 「カビ臭い」; for old-world charm 「古めかしい」. 「旧式」 and 「昔風」 are neutral about old styles; 「前時代的」「前近代的」「大時代」 are written words for out-of-date things. Opposites: 「新しい」「現代的な」, and written 「斬新な」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
