Translation guide
The English word "sensitive" covers a wide range of meanings, from physical sensitivity to emotional delicacy and confidentiality. This guide breaks down the most common uses for learners.
Describing a part of the body or a person that reacts strongly to touch, temperature, or substances.
General term for physical sensitivity. Often used for skin, senses, or reactions.
My skin is sensitive and gets irritated easily.
Used when something stings or irritates a sensitive area, like a cut or tooth.
Cold things make my teeth sensitive.
Describing a person who is easily hurt, offended, or affected by emotions.
Being aware of and caring about other people's emotions or needs.
Describing a person who reacts strongly to certain subjects or criticism.
Describing a matter that is delicate, confidential, or could cause problems if mishandled.
Means 'delicate' or 'tricky', often used for situations that need tact.
That's a sensitive issue, so we need to be careful in discussions.
Loanword from English, used similarly for delicate matters or sensitive skin.
Literally 'handle with care', used for fragile items or sensitive topics.
Describing equipment that detects small changes or reacts quickly.
敏感 (びんかん) is about reactivity to stimuli (physical or emotional), while 繊細 (せんさい) implies delicacy and fineness, often positive for personality or craftsmanship. 神経質 (しんけいしつ) is negative, meaning touchy or high-strung.
If you say 彼は敏感だ, it means he is easily affected or touchy, not that he is thoughtful. Use 気がつく or 思いやりがある instead.
She has sensitive skin.
This is a sensitive topic, so let's not discuss it here.
More negative nuance: overly sensitive, touchy, or high-strung.
He's sensitive to noise and wakes up at the slightest sound.
He's sensitive, so don't joke around too much.
She is sensitive and can't ignore people in trouble.
彼は小さなことでもすぐ気にする。
He's sensitive about even small things.
Personal information is a sensitive issue.
These documents are sensitive (handle with care).
このセンサーは温度に敏感だ。
This sensor is sensitive to temperature.