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何気ない (なにげない) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N2 Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
i-adjective
casual ; nonchalant ; unconcerned
Describes an action or manner that seems natural, unforced, or without special intent; often used when someone does something without showing effort or deep thought.
何なに 気げ ない 一ひと 言こと が 彼かの 女じょ を 傷きず つけ た 。
A casual remark hurt her feelings.
2
i-adjective
ordinary ; everyday ; unremarkable
colloquial
Colloquial use for things that are common, routine, or not special; often implies something is so normal it goes unnoticed.
Written forms 何なに 気げ ない
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency news form.
何なに 気げ 無な い
Alternate kanji form using 無い; less common.
Kanji 無 nothingness, none, ain't Similar words さりげない さりげない emphasizes doing something subtly or discreetly, often with conscious effort to appear casual, while 何気ない suggests a more natural, unthinking casualness.
無む 頓とん 着ちゃく 無頓着 means indifferent or unconcerned about something specific (e.g., fashion), whereas 何気ない describes a general manner or quality of being casual.
Etymology Compound of 何 (nani, 'what') + 気 (ke, 'spirit, mood') + ない (nai, 'not'). Literally 'without any particular mood or intention', which developed into the modern sense of casual or ordinary.
