軽薄|けいはくkeihaku[0]heiban (flat)

1. na-adjective, nounfrivolous; flippant; superficial; shallow; trifling; insincere
   「見た目みためは悪わるくないがちょっと軽薄けいはくそう」な外見がいけんとは裏腹うらはらに、彼女かのじょはいないし、女性じょせいに手てが早はやいワケでもない。↗

   In contrast to his "not bad looks but seems a bit of a dandy" appearance, he didn't have a girlfriend and he wasn't particularly fast with the ladies.

• Synonym軽々しいかるがるしいNeutralRash and careless in what one says or does, as in 「軽々しく口にする」; 軽薄 rather criticizes a person as frivolous and lacking sincerity.
• Synonym薄っぺらうすっぺらCasualColloquial. Said of things that are physically thin or of content that is shallow, as in 「薄っぺらな知識」; a more casual word than 軽薄.
• Synonym上っ調子うわっちょうしCasualColloquial. Flippant and unsteady in speech or manner, as in 「上っ調子な話し方」.
• Synonym上滑りうわすべりCasualColloquial. Staying on the surface without going deeper, as in 「議論が上滑りする」; often said of discussions.
• Synonym軽佻浮薄けいちょうふはくWrittenA four-character idiom for flippant, frivolous conduct; more emphatic and more literary than 軽薄.
• Synonym皮相ひそうWrittenWritten style. Criticizes views that only look at the surface, as in 「皮相な見方」; about shallow judgment, not character.
• Synonym浮薄ふはくWrittenWritten style. Shallow and frivolous, with a nuance of thin human feeling or coldness; used far less than 軽薄.
• Synonym軽躁けいそうWrittenWritten style. Restless and lacking forethought; a word you will very rarely meet.
• Synonym軽佻けいちょうWrittenWritten style. Flippant and frivolous; now mostly seen in the set phrase 「軽佻浮薄」.
• Synonym浮いたういたCasualColloquial. Flirtatious or romantic, as in 「浮いた話」; centers on love affairs rather than general shallowness.
• Related軽率けいそつNeutralFor acting without due thought, as in 「軽率な判断」 or 「軽率な人」; stresses lack of deliberation rather than an insincere character.
• Related軽はずみかるはずみCasualColloquial. Rash and impulsive, as in 「軽はずみな行動」; the point is acting without thinking, not the insincerity that 軽薄 implies.
• Related浅はかあさはかNeutralShallow and short-sighted, as in 「浅はかな考え」; the focus is on how little thought went into something, ideas being the typical case.
• Related軽いかるいCasualColloquial. Basically means light in weight; said of people it suggests frivolity, as in 「ノリが軽い」.
• Related外面的がいめんてきNeutralDescribes what is external or on the surface, in a neutral, objective way; unlike 軽薄 it carries no negative judgement.
• Related軽忽きょうこつWrittenWritten, archaic word for rashness, or for something absurd; extremely rare in modern use.
• Related尻軽しりがるCasualColloquial. Loose or promiscuous in relations with the opposite sex; a stronger slur than 軽薄.
• Related心無いこころないNeutralInconsiderate of others' feelings, as in 「心無い言葉」; about careless words that hurt, not general frivolity.
• Related通り一遍とおりいっぺんCasualColloquial. Perfunctory, done as a mere formality, as in 「通り一遍の挨拶」; criticizes going through the motions, not frivolity.
• Related無分別むふんべつWrittenWritten style. Reckless, not weighing what matters, as in 「無分別な行為」.
• Related無考えむかんがえCasualColloquial. Acting without thinking; rare, and close in sense to 「無分別」.
• RelatedちゃらんぽらんCasualColloquial. Sloppy, irresponsible, devil-may-care; a derogatory word for a careless attitude.
• Related不真面目ふまじめNeutralNot serious, as in 「不真面目な態度」; focuses on attitude toward work or study rather than shallowness of character.
• Related卒爾そつじWrittenWritten style. Abrupt or presumptuous, as in 「卒爾ながら」; an old-fashioned apologetic phrase.
• Antonym重厚じゅうこうWrittenAntonym. Written style. Dignified, composed and weighty; the opposite of the flippancy of 軽薄.
• Antonym真面目まじめNeutralAntonym. Serious and earnest, the opposite of the flippancy and insincerity of 軽薄.
• Antonym誠実せいじつNeutralAntonym. Sincere and honest in word and deed, the opposite of the lack of sincerity in 軽薄.

Use 「軽薄」 for a person or manner that is frivolous and lacks sincerity, as in 「軽薄な男」. When the point is acting without due thought, say 「軽率」 or, colloquially, 「軽はずみ」; for shallow ideas, 「浅はか」. Other options: 「上っ調子」 for flippant speech, 「薄っぺら」 for shallow content, 「皮相」 for surface-level views, 「軽佻浮薄」 for emphatic written style. Antonyms: 「重厚」 dignified, 「真面目」 serious, 「誠実」 sincere.

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

1. 物ものが軽かるく薄うすいこと。
2. 軽々かるがるしく、価値かちがないこと。
3. 心こころが上滑うわすべりして、誠実せいじつな様子ようすが見みえないこと。
4. 追従ついじゅう、おせじ。