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気負う (きおう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
godan verb (-u), intransitive verb
get worked up ; be overly eager ; rouse oneself
Describes a state of being mentally keyed up, often with a nuance of trying too hard or being too enthusiastic, which can lead to tension or mistakes. Commonly used in negative contexts or advice to calm down.
そんな に 気き 負お わ なく て も 大だい 丈じょう 夫ぶ だ よ 。
You don't have to be so eager; it's okay.
Similar words 意い 気き 込ご む 意気込む means to be enthusiastic and determined in a positive, forward-looking way, while 気負う often implies excessive eagerness that leads to tension or mistakes.
力りき む 力む focuses on physical or mental straining, often with visible tension, whereas 気負う is more about an internal psychological state of being overly eager or worked up.
Etymology Compound of 気 (ki, 'spirit, mind') and 負う (ou, 'to bear, to carry'), literally 'to bear one's spirit', suggesting a state of carrying a burden of eagerness or tension.
