堅苦しい|かたくるしいkatakurushii[5]nakadaka (mid-high)
かたぐるしいkatagurushii
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Definitions
- i-adjectiveformal; stiff; strict; ceremonious堅苦しいことはぬきにしましょう。↗Let's dispense with formalities.
Conjugation
| Plain form | 堅苦しい（かたくるしい） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 堅苦しいです（かたくるしいです） |
| Negative (kunai) | 堅苦しくない（かたくるしくない） |
| polite (ku arimasen) | 堅苦しくありません（かたくるしくありません） |
| Past (katta) | 堅苦しかった（かたくるしかった） |
| Past negative (kunakatta) | 堅苦しくなかった（かたくるしくなかった） |
| Te form (kute) | 堅苦しくて（かたくるしくて） |
| Adverbial (ku) | 堅苦しく（かたくるしく） |
| Conditional (kereba) | 堅苦しければ（かたくるしければ） |
| kattara | 堅苦しかったら（かたくるしかったら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymしかつめらしいWrittenWritten/formal prose. Describes an overly solemn expression or manner, sometimes with an ironic hint that the seriousness is put on.
- Related硬いかたいNeutralNeutral. Means hard or stiff, focusing on solid objects or a stiff face and manner; much broader in use than 「堅苦しい」.
- Related窮屈きゅうくつNeutralNeutral. Suggests constraint and discomfort, stressing tight spaces or feeling ill at ease, as in 「窮屈な服」.
- Antonym気軽きがるNeutralNeutral. Carefree and casual, with no sense of constraint—the opposite of stiff, rule-bound 「堅苦しい」.
- AntonymくだけたCasualColloquial. Friendly and easygoing, free of formality—the opposite of stiff-faced 「堅苦しい」.
Use 「堅苦しい」 for excessive rules and a stiff, uncomfortable atmosphere, as in 「堅苦しい挨拶は抜きにして」. For cramped space or an uneasy mood pick 「窮屈」; for an overly solemn face or manner, 「しかつめらしい」.
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
