Describes a child or pet that is calm, follows rules, and does not cause trouble. Often used in the negative form きすぐじゃない to mean 'naughty' or 'misbehaving'.
The children are being well-behaved today.
This dog is very obedient and listens well.
Rare kanji spelling; the word is almost always written in kana.
Standard kana spelling for this word.
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 生 (pure, raw) and 直 (straight, direct) may suggest an original meaning of 'straightforward and unspoiled', but the word is now used almost exclusively in kana.