気きに障さわる

き

に

さ

わ

る

JLPTN1

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-ru)

hurt one's feelings; rub the wrong way; get on one's nerves

Used when someone's words or actions cause irritation or emotional discomfort. Often describes a personal reaction to something perceived as offensive or annoying.

彼かれの言いい方かたが気きに障さわった。
The way he said it rubbed me the wrong way.
あの態たい度どは気きに障さわるよ

。

That attitude gets on my nerves.

Written forms

気きに障さわる
Standard kanji spelling.
気きにさわる
Kana spelling of 障る, common in everyday writing.
気きに触さわる
irregular kanji usage
Irregular kanji usage; 触る is normally read さわる as 'to touch', but here it is used for 障る.

Kanji

気spirit, mind, air
障hinder, hurt, harm
触contact, touch, feel

Similar words

気きに入いらない
気に入らない means 'not to one's liking' and is broader, while 気に障る specifically implies emotional irritation or hurt feelings.
腹はらが立たつ
腹が立つ expresses stronger anger, whereas 気に障る is milder and more about being annoyed or offended.

Etymology

The expression combines 気 (mind/spirit) with 障る (to hinder/irritate). The verb 障る originally meant 'to obstruct' or 'to be harmful', and the phrase literally means 'to obstruct one's mind'.