How do you say "nervous" in Japanese?

神経質な

shinkeishitsu na

Adjective Kanji

In Japanese, "nervous" is 神経質な (shinkeishitsu na).

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Pronunciation

神経質な is written using kanji. Romanised as shinkeishitsu na, it sounds roughly like "shee-n-keh-shee-tsoo-nah" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Shinkeishitsu na (神経質な) literally combines kanji for nerve and quality, making it a fairly formal term for someone easily anxious or overly sensitive to small things. It is a na-adjective, so it takes na before a noun.

Example sentence

彼はとても神経質な人です。

Kare wa totemo shinkeishitsu na hito desu.

He is a very nervous person.

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How to remember 神経質な

Break it into parts: 神経 means nerves or nervous system, and 質 means quality or character. Together they describe someone with an anxious character.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese adjectives.

Questions about 神経質な

How do you pronounce 神経質な?

神経質な is romanised as shinkeishitsu na. Say it roughly like "shee-n-keh-shee-tsoo-nah" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 神経質な formal or casual?

神経質な is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 神経質な written in Japanese?

神経質な is written using kanji. Shinkeishitsu na (神経質な) literally combines kanji for nerve and quality, making it a fairly formal term for someone easily anxious or overly sensitive to small things.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Nervous" in other languages

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