形けい式しき的てき

け

い

し

き

て

き

Common wordJLPTN2

Meanings

1

na-adjective

formal; perfunctory; going through the motions

Describes actions or procedures that follow outward form but lack substance or sincerity. Often carries a negative nuance of being merely formal or superficial.

形けい式しき的てきな挨あい拶さつ

だけ

で

は

、

心こころ

は

伝つた

わら

ない

。

A merely formal greeting doesn't convey your true feelings.

会かい議ぎは形けい式しき的てきなものに過すぎなかった。

The meeting was nothing more than a formality.

Usage patterns

形けい式しき的てきな〈事こと〉a merely formal/perfunctory (thing, procedure, etc.)
それは形けい式しき的てきな手て続つづきに過すぎない。
That's nothing more than a formality.
〈事こと〉を形けい式しき的てきに〈動どう詞し〉to do something as a mere formality
会かい議ぎは形けい式しき的てきに行おこなわれただけだった。
The meeting was held only as a formality.

Kanji

形shape, form, style
式style, ceremony, rite
的bull's eye, mark, target

Related words

表ひょう面めん的てき
表面的 stresses that something is only on the surface or superficial, whereas 形式的 stresses that it follows a fixed procedure or format without sincerity.
事じ務む的てき
事務的 describes a businesslike, mechanical attitude in dealing with people, while 形式的 focuses on following the required form of a procedure.
おざなり
おざなり is a more colloquial word for a careless, half-hearted way of doing something, while 形式的 is a more neutral, formal-register term for lacking substance behind proper form.

Opposites

実じっ質しつ的てき
実質的 describes something substantial and meaningful, while 形式的 describes something that merely follows outward form without real substance.

Word family

形けい式しき的てき法ほう源げん
formal source of law

Built from

形けい式しき+的てき

Etymology

From 形式 (form, formality) + 的 (-like, -ish).