まめまめしい

ま

め

ま

め

し

い

Meanings

1

i-adjective

diligent; hardworking; conscientious

usually written using kana alone

Describes a person who works steadily and carefully, paying attention to detail. Often implies a sincere, earnest attitude.

彼かの女じょはまめまめしく家か事じをこなす。
She diligently does the housework.

まめまめしい性せい格かくなので、仕し事ごとを任まかせやすい。

Because of his conscientious nature, it's easy to entrust work to him.

Written forms

まめまめしいUsage100%
Usually written in kana. The kanji form 忠実忠実しい is rare and may be confusing.
忠実まめ忠実まめしい
Rare kanji spelling; the repetition of 忠実 is unusual and not commonly used.

Kanji

忠loyalty, fidelity, faithfulness
実reality, truth, seed

Similar words

まめ
まめ is a na-adjective or noun with a similar meaning of 'diligent' or 'hardworking', but まめまめしい is an i-adjective that emphasizes the steady, painstaking quality more strongly.
勤きん勉べん
勤勉 is a more formal, often academic term for 'diligent' or 'industrious', while まめまめしい has a warmer, more personal nuance of earnest attentiveness.

Etymology

Derived from the adjective まめ (diligent, healthy) with the adjectival suffix ～しい, which adds a sense of 'seeming' or 'having the quality of'. The exact historical development is uncertain.