疎うと々うとしい

う

と

う

と

し

い

Meanings

1

i-adjective

unfriendly; distant; cold

Describes a person's attitude or atmosphere that feels aloof, standoffish, or unwelcoming. Often used for someone who keeps others at arm's length.

彼かれは初しょ対たい面めんの人ひとにはいつも疎うと々うとしい態たい度どをとる。
He always acts distant toward people he meets for the first time.

あの店みせは店てん員いんが疎うと々うとしくて、あまり行いきたくない。

The staff at that shop are unfriendly, so I don't really want to go there.

Written forms

疎うと々うとしいUsage50%
Standard kanji spelling using the iteration mark 々.
うとうとしいUsage50%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji are considered difficult or obscure.
疎うと疎うとしい
Alternate spelling without the iteration mark; less common but still used.

Kanji

疎alienate, rough, neglect

Similar words

冷つめたい
冷たい is a more general word for 'cold' (temperature or attitude). 疎々しい specifically implies a distant, unwelcoming interpersonal manner rather than simple coldness.
よそよそしい
よそよそしい also means 'distant' or 'standoffish', but often carries a nuance of being overly formal or reserved. 疎々しい can feel more bluntly unfriendly.

Etymology

Derived from the adjective stem 疎い (うとい, 'unfamiliar, estranged') with reduplication and the adjectival suffix しい, emphasizing a state of being distant or unfriendly. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the form is consistent with other reduplicated adjectives in Japanese.