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気が張る (きがはる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, godan verb (-ru)
be on edge ; feel tense ; strain one's nerves
Describes a state of mental tension or alertness, often due to pressure, responsibility, or a formal situation. The focus is on the internal feeling of being keyed up.
前まえ
は
どう
し
て
も
気き
が
張は
っ
て
しまう
。
I can't help but feel on edge before an exam.
Kanji 張 counter for bows & stringed instruments, stretch, spread Similar words 緊きん 張ちょう する 緊張する is a more general and common word for 'to be nervous/tensed up', while 気が張る emphasizes a sustained mental strain or alertness, often with a nuance of bracing oneself.
気き を 張は る 気を張る is a related expression meaning 'to brace oneself' or 'to stay alert', but it uses を and can imply a more deliberate effort to maintain tension, whereas 気が張る describes the resulting state.
Etymology The expression combines 気 (spirit/mind) with 張る (to stretch/tense), literally 'one's spirit is stretched'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of using physical tension metaphors for mental states.
