そそっかしい

そ

っ

か

し

い

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

そそっかしい · i-adjective

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	そそっかしい	そそっかしくない
Polite	そそっかしいです	そそっかしくないですalso そそっかしくありません
Past polite	そそっかしかったです	そそっかしくなかったですalso そそっかしくありませんでした
Past	そそっかしかった	そそっかしくなかった
Te-form	そそっかしくて	そそっかしくなくて
Adverbial	そそっかしく
Conditional	そそっかしければ	そそっかしくなければ
Tara conditional	そそっかしかったら	そそっかしくなかったら

Meanings

i-adjective

careless; thoughtless; hasty; rash

Describes a person or action that is impulsive, inattentive, or prone to making small mistakes due to lack of care.

彼かれはそそっかしいから、よく鍵かぎを忘わすれる。
He is careless, so he often forgets his keys.
そそっかしいミスをしてしまった。
I made a careless mistake.

Usage patterns

そそっかしい〈人ひと〉a careless/absent-minded person
彼かれはそそっかしい人ひとで、よく忘わすれ物ものをする。
He's a careless person and often forgets things.
そそっかしくて〈動どう詞し〉to do something because of being careless
そそっかしくて、電でん車しゃに傘かさを忘わすれてしまった。
Because I was careless, I left my umbrella on the train.
そそっかしい〈事こと〉をするto do something careless/foolish
そそっかしいことをして、また鍵かぎをなくした。
I did something careless and lost my keys again.

Related words

軽けい率そつN1
軽率 is a formal word for rash or thoughtless behavior often used in serious contexts, while そそっかしい is a colloquial word for everyday, endearing carelessness.
うっかりN3
うっかり is an adverb describing a single momentary lapse of attention, while そそっかしい is an i-adjective describing someone's general careless personality.
あわてん坊ぼう
慌てん坊 is a noun labeling a person as a hasty, flustered type, while そそっかしい is the adjective describing that same careless, hasty quality.
おっちょこちょいN1
そそっかしい is an i-adjective describing the careless trait itself, while おっちょこちょい is typically used as a noun/na-adjective labeling a person who has that trait.

Opposites

慎しん重ちょうN3
慎重 describes careful, deliberate behavior, the opposite of the hasty carelessness described by そそっかしい.

Don't confuse with

せっかちN1
せっかち means impatient and quick to act out of restlessness, while そそっかしい means careless and prone to mistakes out of inattention, not impatience.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. It may be related to the mimetic word そそ (indicating restlessness) with the adjectival suffix かしい, but the exact derivation is unclear.