Translation guide
Describes someone who is unwilling to accept new ideas, different opinions, or ways of life. Japanese expressions range from direct personality adjectives to phrases about narrow perspectives.
To say someone is intolerant, prejudiced, or lacking in openness.
A direct adjective meaning narrow-minded, intolerant. Often used in formal or written contexts.
彼は狭量な人だ。
He is a narrow-minded person.
Literally 'heart is narrow'. A common, natural phrase for describing someone as petty or intolerant.
あの人は心が狭いね。
That person is narrow-minded, isn't he?
Literally 'field of vision is narrow'. Focuses on a limited perspective or inability to see the big picture.
彼は視野が狭いから、新しい考えを受け入れない。
He is narrow-minded, so he doesn't accept new ideas.
Means narrow-minded, bigoted, or parochial. Stronger and more formal, often used in written criticism.
偏狭な考え方は社会の進歩を妨げる。
Narrow-minded thinking hinders social progress.
To characterize opinions, views, or mindsets as narrow.
Literally 'way of thinking is narrow'. A flexible phrase for describing narrow-minded attitudes.
彼の考え方は狭いと思う。
I think his way of thinking is narrow.
A slightly old-fashioned but still used phrase meaning narrow-minded or intolerant in one's views.
そんな了見の狭いことを言うな。
Don't say such narrow-minded things.
Means bigoted, stubbornly narrow-minded, often with a sense of crankiness. Used for people or attitudes.
To caution that directly translating 'narrow-minded' word-for-word can sound unnatural.
English 'narrow-minded' often corresponds to phrases using 狭い (narrow) with 心 (heart), 視野 (field of vision), or 考え方 (way of thinking). Using a single adjective like 狭量 is less common in casual speech.
Directly saying 'ナローマインド' in katakana is not natural Japanese.
「ナローマインド」とは言わない。
We don't say 'narrow-minded' as a direct loanword.
心が狭い focuses on pettiness or intolerance toward others' actions/feelings. 視野が狭い emphasizes a limited perspective or inability to see the bigger picture. Use 心が狭い for personal intolerance, 視野が狭い for intellectual narrowness.
彼は冗談が通じない。心が狭い。
He can't take a joke. He's narrow-minded (petty).
彼は海外経験がなくて視野が狭い。
He has no overseas experience and is narrow-minded (limited perspective).
In Japanese, 狭い (narrow) is often combined with nouns like 心, 視野, 考え方 to express narrow-mindedness. These phrases are more common than standalone adjectives like 狭量 in everyday speech.
彼は年を取って偏屈になった。
He became narrow-minded and cranky as he got older.