堅かた苦くるしい

か

た

く

る

し

い

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

i-adjective

stiff; formal; ceremonious; strict

Describes a person, atmosphere, or manner that is overly formal, rigid, or lacking warmth and ease. Often used for social situations, rules, or writing style.

彼かれの挨あい拶さつはいつも堅かた苦くるしい。
His greetings are always stiff and formal.
このレストランは堅かた苦くるしくなくて、気き楽らくに入はいれる。
This restaurant isn't stuffy, so you can go in casually.

Written forms

堅苦しいUsage84%
- かたくるしい
  Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
- かたぐるしい
  irregular kana usage
固かた苦くるしいUsage9%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
かた苦くるしいUsage4%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
かたくるしいUsage2%
Kana spelling; used when the kanji is avoided or for clarity.
堅かたくるしいUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
かたぐるしい
irregular kana usage

Kanji

堅strict, hard, solid
苦suffering, trial, worry
固harden, set, clot

Similar words

堅かたい
堅い means 'hard' or 'firm' in a physical or figurative sense, while 堅苦しい specifically refers to a stiff, overly formal manner or atmosphere.
格かく式しき張ばる
格式張る emphasizes adherence to formalities and ceremony, often in a positive or neutral sense, whereas 堅苦しい carries a negative nuance of being uncomfortably stiff.

Etymology

Compound of 堅 (kata, 'hard, stiff') + 苦しい (kurushii, 'painful, difficult'). The combination yields the sense of something being so stiff and formal that it feels oppressive or uncomfortable.