Translation guide
Describes someone who is careful, thorough, and takes their duties seriously. In Japanese, this is often expressed through adjectives describing personality, work ethic, or attention to detail.
彼女は勉強にすごく真面目です。
She is very conscientious about her studies.
Describing a person who works carefully and responsibly, paying attention to detail.
The most common and versatile word for someone who is serious, diligent, and earnest in their work or studies. Often implies a strong sense of responsibility.
彼は真面目な学生です。
He is a conscientious student.
真面目に仕事をする。
To do one's work conscientiously.
Emphasizes meticulousness, orderliness, and precision. Often used for someone who is very methodical and keeps things neat.
彼女は几帳面な性格だ。
She has a conscientious personality (meticulous and orderly).
几帳面にノートを取る。
To take notes conscientiously (neatly and thoroughly).
Means polite and careful. When describing work, it implies doing things with great care and attention, without cutting corners.
彼の仕事はとても丁寧だ。
His work is very conscientious (careful and thorough).
Means careful and elaborate, often used for preparations or checks. Implies leaving no stone unturned.
入念な準備が必要だ。
Conscientious preparation is necessary.
Describing someone who feels morally obligated to do the right thing and takes their responsibilities seriously.
Literally 'strong sense of responsibility'. This is a very natural way to describe a conscientious person in terms of duty.
彼は責任感が強い人だ。
He is a conscientious person (with a strong sense of responsibility).
Means conscientious in the sense of being guided by one's conscience, fair, and honest. Often used for businesses or professional conduct.
良心的な価格
Conscientious pricing (fair and honest)
彼は良心的な医者だ。
He is a conscientious doctor (ethical and caring).
Describing someone who is scrupulous about following rules or paying attention to small details, sometimes excessively.
Means meticulous or detail-oriented. Can be positive (thorough) or negative (nitpicky) depending on context.
彼は細かいところまで気がつく。
He is conscientious about noticing small details.
Means cautious and careful. Implies a conscientious approach to avoiding mistakes or risks.
真面目 (majime) is about seriousness and diligence, while 几帳面 (kichōmen) is about being methodical and orderly. A person can be 真面目 but not 几帳面 if they work hard but are messy.
彼は真面目だが、几帳面ではない。
He is diligent but not meticulous.
The term 'conscientious objector' is translated as 良心的兵役拒否者 (ryōshinteki heieki kyohisha), but this is a specific legal term. Do not use 良心的 alone to mean conscientious in general contexts without care.
彼女はいつも宿題をする真面目な学生です。
She is a conscientious student who always does her homework.
この問題には入念な取り組みが必要です。
We need a conscientious approach to this problem.
慎重に計画を立てる。
To make a plan conscientiously (carefully and cautiously).