As you may know, there are lots of Japanese phrases/idioms that include 気(き, ki), such as 気が小さい, 気になる, 気を使う, 気が重い, 気に食わない, 気が済む, just to name a few. This article explains their meanings and usages in detail!
(See also this post: “Japanese Conversation Practice to Master 気-related Idioms” to learn how those phrases are used in a casual conversation)
(If you’re fond of exploring Japanese synonyms, check my tool: Japanese Synonym Finder)
Table of Contents
Introduction: What is 気 exactly?
Usually, 気 is translated as “spirit” or “mind” in English. However, it has more specific meanings depending on how it is used in a phrase. To provide readers with clearer definitions, this post groups the meanings of 気 into five categories: “Personality“, “Motivation“, “Focus/Interest“, “Care/Concerns“, and “Feeling/Intuition“. These categories are (tentatively) determined by myself and not something official, and yet should be useful to capture the meaning of each phrase about 気.
(To be honest, I hadn’t been aware that there are so many 気-related expressions until recently, and I was very surprised to realise that we (native Japanese speakers) use 気 with so many meanings unconsciously.)
1. 気 as “Personality”
気が強い/気が弱い
ki ga tsuyoi/ki ga yowai
気が強(つよ)い (ki ga tsuyoi) and 気が弱(よわ)い (ki ga yowai) literally mean “気 is strong” and “気 is weak”, respectively. Figuratively, the former means “strong-minded/assertive”, and the latter means “timid/shy/not confidence in oneself”.
Example
彼女(かのじょ)は気が強いから、絶対(ぜったい)に自分(じぶん)の考(かんが)えを曲(ま)げない
Because she is strong-minded, she never changes her thoughts.
僕(ぼく)は気が弱いから、ノーとなかなか言(い)えない
Because I am shy/timid, I cannot say “No” easily.
気が長い/気が短い
ki ga nagai/ki ga mijikai
気が長(なが)い (ki ga nagai) and 気が短(みじか)い (ki ga mijikai) literally mean “気 is long” and “気 is short”, respectively. Figuratively, the former means “easy-going/laid-back/patient” and the latter means “short-tempered”. There is also a word “気長(きなが)に” meaning “in an easy-going way/patiently”
Examples
彼(かれ)は気が短いから、すぐ怒（おこ）る
Because he is short-tempered, he gets angry very easily.
比較的(ひかくてき)気が長いので、長(なが)い列(れつ)で待(ま)つのは苦(く)ではない
Because I’m relatively easy-going, I don’t find it painful to wait in a long queue.
いつ結果(けっか)が出(で)るか分(わ)からないので、気長に待(ま)つしかない
We don’t know when the result will be out, so all we can do is wait patiently.
気が小さい/気が大きくなる
ki ga chiisai/ki ga ookiku naru
気が小(ちいさ)い (ki ga chiisai) literally means “気 is small” and figuratively “timid/sensitive/cowardly”. On the other hand, 気が大(おお)きくなる (ki ga ookiku naru) literally means “気 becomes big” and figuratively “become bold/reckless/cocky”.
* There is also a phrase “気が大きい” meaning “be generous/have a big heart”, but it’s not commonly used.
Example
図書館（としょかん）でうるさく喋(しゃべ)っている人(ひと)がいたけど、気が小さくて静(しず)かしろと言(い)えなかった
Some people were talking loud in the library, but I was too cowardly to tell them to be quiet.
酔(よ)って気が大きくなり、高(たか)い物(もの)をたくさん買（か）ってしまった。
I was drunk and became bold, and ended up buying many expensive things
気が合う
ki ga au
~と気が合(あ)う (ki ga au) literally means “気 matches ~” and figuratively “get along well with ~”. Interestingly, you can also say 馬(うま)が合う(uma ga au) instead of 気が合う, where 馬 means “a horse”. This phrase originated from horse riding; it is extremely important for horse riders to find a horse that 合う (goes well) with them.
Example
彼(かれ)とは気が合う/馬が合う
I get along well with him.
2. 気 as “Motivation”
気が進む/気が乗る
ki ga susumu/ki ga noru
気が進(すす)む (ki ga susumu) and 気が乗(の)る (ki ga noru) literally mean “気 goes ahead/goes on board” and figuratively “be encouraged/feel like ~”. Usually, these phrases are used in negative sentences as in the example sentence below.
Example
あのパーティーに誘（さそ）われたけど、なんか気が乗らない/進まない
I was invited to the party, but I don’t feel like going for some reason
気が向く
ki ga muku
気が向く (ki ga muku) literally means “気 is directed towards ~” and figuratively “feel like ~”. It is often used as 気が向いたら/時(とき), meaning “if/when I feel like ~”.
Example
気が向いた時に課題 (かだい) をやろう
I’ll do my assignments when I feel like it.
気が重い
ki ga omoi
気が重(おも)い (ki ga omoi) literally means “気 is heavy” and figuratively “don’t feel like ~/feel daunted to do ~”
Example
あと５時間（じかん）この仕事(しごと)をしなきゃいけないと考（かんが）えると、気が重い
I “feel heavy” (feel daunted) when I think that I have to do this work for more 5 hours.
3. 気 as “Focus/Interest”
気になる
ki ni naru
気になる (ki ni naru) has both positive and negative meanings, as follows:
- “be interested in ~”
- “be distracted by ~”
Example
今(いま)誰(だれ)か気になっている人(ひと)いる？
Is there anyone you’re interested in (romantically)?
外(そと)の音(おと)が気になる
I‘m distracted by the noise outside
気がある
ki ga aru
気がある literally means “気 exists” and figuratively “interested in someone (romantically)” It is often used when someone seems to be interested in you.
Example
明(あき)らかに彼(かれ)は彼女(かのじょ)に気がある
Obviously, he is (romantically) interested in her.
気が散る
ki ga chiru
気が散(ち)る literally means “気 scatters” and figuratively “distracted by~”, “cannot focus on ~”
Example
あの猫(ねこ)のせいで気が散って勉強 ((べんきょう) に集中 (しゅうちゅう) できない。
Because of the cat, I‘m distracted and cannot focus on studying.
気が紛れる
ki ga magireru
気が紛(まぎ)れる means “take one’s mind off” or “be distracted from negative feelings (sadness, stress, etc.)”
Example
さっきまでイライラしてたけど、ランニングで気が紛れて楽(らく)になった。
I was irritated a while ago, but running distracted me from my negative feelings (anger) and now I feel better.
気に入る
ki ni iru
気に入(い)る (ki ni iru) literally “enter (one’s) 気” and figuratively “like/find something to be one’s favourite”.
Example
もし気に入ったものを見(み)つけたら、言（い）ってください
If you find something you like, please tell me
これは私(わたし)のお気に入りの本 (ほん)
This is my favourite book.
気に食わない
ki ni kuwanai
気に食(く)わない (ki ni kuwanai) means “hate ~/feel annoyed by ~”. Its meaning is similar to that of 気に入(い)らない (= not 気に入る), but 気に食わない contains more negative emotions/feelings.
Example
あの政府（せいふ）の対応（たいおう）が気に入らない/気に食わない
I don’t like/am quite annoyed by the government response.
気が変わる
ki ga kawaru
気が変(か)わる (ki ga kawaru) means “気 changes”, i.e. “change one’s mind”.
Example
宿題(しゅくだい)をやろうと思(おも)ったけど、気が変わった
I thought I’d do my homework but I’ve changed my mind.
気を取り直す
ki o torinaosu
気を取(と)り直(なお)す (ki o tori naosu) literally means “take/collect 気 again” and figuratively “reset my mood”. It is often used as “気を取り直して” as in the example sentence below.
Example
今朝(けさ)食(た)べた朝(あさ)ごはんがあまり美味(おい)しくなくて萎(な)えたけど、気を取り直して仕事(しごと)に集中(しゅうちゅう)しよう。
The breakfast I ate this morning was not very tasty and that turned me off, but let’s reset my mood and focus on my work.
4. 気 as “care/concerns”
気をつける
ki o tsukeru
気をつける (ki o tsukeru) means “be mindful/careful/make sure/pay attention”
Examples
２度(ど)とこんな事（こと）がないよう、気をつけなさい
Make sure this never happens again.
気をつけてね
Be careful/Take care!
気にする
ki ni suru
気にする means “mind/worry/care about”
Example
人(ひと)にどう見(み)られているか、気にしてしまう
I can’t help but worry about how people see me.
気にしないで!
Never mind!
気を使う
ki o tsukau
気を使(つか)う (ki o tsukau) literally means “use 気” and figuratively “think about someone/something thoughtfully”. In particular, it often has the following meanings:
- “try to be nice/attentive/considerate/polite”, “be mindful of one’s needs”
- “care about ~”
Example
先輩(せんぱい)といると気を使うので疲(つか)れる
When I’m with my sepnai, I feel tired since I’ve got to be polite/mindful of their needs.
忙(いそが)しそうだったので、気を使って 彼(かれ)に話(はな)しかけなかった
As he seemed busy, I tried to be considerate and didn’t speak to him
もっと健康 (けんこう) に気を使うべきだ (≒ 健康を気にするべきだ, 健康に気をつけるべきだ)
You should care about your health more.
気が利く
ki ga kiku
気が利(き)く (ki ga kiku) literally “気 is effective” and figuratively “be proactive/attentive/thoughtful”. It sounds a bit judgemental, so you shouldn’t use it to describe your boss/senpai/someone not close to you.
Example
You: 寒(さむ)くなってきたのでコーヒーいれました!
You: As it’s getting cold, I made coffee for you!
Your boss: ありがとう！気が利くね！
Your boss: Thanks! You’re proactive/thoughtful!
気が回らない
ki ga mawaranai
気が回(まわ)らない (ki ga mawara nai) literally means “(one’s) spirit/attention doesn’t reach” and figuratively “not considerate/thoughtful/attentive enough ~”. It is often used when you apologise to someone politely for not being attentive enough.
(* Usually, 回(まわ)る means “spin”, “turn”, “go around” etc., but in this phrase, it means “reach“.)
Example
あ、もしかしてコーヒーより紅茶 (こうちゃ) の方(ほう)がよかった？そこまで気が回らなくてごめんね
Ah, do you actually prefer tea to coffee? Sorry, “my spirit didn’t reach it (your preference).” (= I wasn’t attentive enough to consider your preference).
気の毒
ki no doku
気の毒(どく) (ki no doku) literally means “spirit’s poison” and figuratively describes the situation when you feel empathy for someone (because they are faced with serious and unfortunate events/incidents/circumstances). Such a situation is “poison for one’s spirit” because you feel – unless you are a psychopath – pretty bad for them. When you express to someone your empathy for them, you can say “お気の毒様(さま)です”.
Examples
気にかける
ki ni kakeru
気にかける (ki ni kakeru) means “care/worry/think about someone”
Example
A: 最近(さいきん)疲(つか)れて見(み)えるけど、大丈夫 (だいじょうぶ)？
A: These days, you look tired. Are you OK?
B: うん、大丈夫(だいじょうぶ)！気にかけてくれてありがとう！
B: Yea, I’m fine! Thanks for worrying about me!
気を許す
ki o yurusu
気を許す literally means “allow one’s 気” and figuratively “open up your heart/let your guard down (to someone)”. Here, 気 refers to the state of feeling concerned/worried about someone’s mood/feelings, and 許す means you let those vigilant feelings go away and open up to them. Its meaning is similar to that of 気の置けない (see the next entry).
Example
彼女には気を許しているから、一緒にお酒を飲むといつも凄い酔っぱらう。
Since I totally open up my heart to her, I always get very drunk whenever I have a drink with her.
気の置けない
ki no okenai
気の置けない (or 気が置けない) literally means “(you) cannot put 気” and figuratively “(someone is) very close (to you)”. In this phrase, 気 means “care/concerns” as in 気を使う, and hence 気の置けない means you don’t feel you need to be very polite or cautious, and you totally open up to the person.
It is often used in the phrase 気の置けない仲, meaning “a very close and relaxed relationship (which doesn’t make you behave in a very polite or reserved manner)”; its meaning is similar to that of 気を使わない仲. Note, however, that even some (or actually many) Japanese people misunderstand it to be a bad relationship, misinterpreting its meaning as “you cannot open up your heart/let your guard down” — to be fair, this expression is confusing enough because, as explained earlier, 気 can also mean “one’s interest”.
Example
彼とは気の置けない仲なので、なんでも話せる
Because he and I are very close, I can talk about anything with him.
気が済む
ki ga sumu
気が済(す)む (ki ga sumu) literally means “気 is completed” and figuratively “feel satisfied/accomplished”. It is often used in a phrase “気が済むまで”, meaning “until you feel satisfied/accomplished”.
Example
「気」を含(ふく)んだ慣用句(かんようく)を、気が済むまで説明 (せつめい)した
I explained idioms containing 気 until I felt satisfied/accomplished.
5. 気 as “intuition”
気のせい
ki no sei
気のせい (ki no sei) literally means “because of (one’s) 気” and figuratively “just one’s imagination/not real”. It is often used as “気のせいか”, which is translated to “maybe it’s just me” in English.
Example
誰(だれ)かそこに立(た)っていると思(おも)ったけど、気のせいか。
I thought someone would be standing there, but maybe just me (just my imagination).
気がする
ki ga suru
(~な)気がする (ki ga suru) means “feel/have a feeling that ~” and is used when you are not completely certain about something.
Example
昨日(きのう)より暑(あつ)い気がする
I feel it’s hotter than yesterday.
こっちを選んだ方が多分(たぶん)良い気がする
I have a feeling that it’d be probably better to choose this one.
気まぐれ
kimagure
気まぐれ (ki magure) means “on a whim” or “be fickle”. Some restaurants have シェフの気まぐれ(サラダ, パスタ, etc.) on the menu, meaning “a (salad, pasta, etc.) dish chosen by the chef’s mood.”
Example
わたしはよく気まぐれで料理(りょうり)をする。
I often cook on a whim.
彼女は気まぐれで、急(きゅう)によくやる気をなくす。
She’s fickle and often loses her motivation suddenly.
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