Meanings Jump to a sense… 1. obedient; docile; meek 2. honest; frank; upfront 3. straight (hair) 4. unaffected; natural; neat Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 の 言い うことを 素す 直なお に 聞き く to listen obediently to what someone says
The child obediently listened to what the teacher said.
素す 直なお に 謝あやま る to apologize frankly, without excuses
He apologized frankly, without making excuses.
素す 直なお な 髪かみ naturally straight hair
She has naturally straight hair.
素す 直なお な 字じ を 書か く to write in a neat, unaffected hand
He writes in a simple, neat hand.
素す 直なお な 気き 持も ちを 伝つた える to express one's true feelings honestly
It's better to express your true feelings more openly.
Kanji 素 elementary, principle, naked 直 straightaway, honesty, frankness Related words· 7 従順 stresses submissive obedience to authority, while 素直 suggests a willing, open-hearted compliance without resentment.
正直 focuses on truthfulness and not lying, while 素直 in this sense is about emotional openness and admitting feelings without pretense.
真っ直ぐ is the everyday word for anything physically straight, while 素直 for hair is a narrower, less common way to say the same thing.
虚心 describes a mind free of bias when considering something, while 素直 describes a naturally obedient or unaffected personality.
Show 3 more Show fewer 素直 implies an obedient, gentle, or receptive nature, often used for children or willingness to accept advice, whereas 率直 is about being forthright and candid without implying compliance.
素直 highlights an obedient, straightforward attitude, whereas ナイーブ focuses on emotional vulnerability or lack of worldly experience.
素直 describes an obedient, unresisting attitude or personality, while あっさり describes the light, unhesitant manner of a specific action.
Opposites· 7 頑固 describes someone stubborn who refuses to listen, the opposite of a 素直 person who accepts guidance readily.
素直 describes someone honest and unaffected, the opposite of the calculated, manipulative manner implied by あざとい .
素直 describes someone obedient and compliant, the opposite of the stubborn, unyielding nuance of 一国 in its dated 'stubborn' sense.
Show 4 more Show fewer 素直 describes a docile, obedient attitude, the opposite of the willful resistance implied by 意地 .
素直 describes someone who is obedient and readily accepts others' views, the opposite of the stubborn refusal to yield captured by 意地っ張り .
素直 means gentle and compliant, contrasting with 強情 's willful resistance to others' wishes.
素直 describes a docile, cooperative attitude, contrasting with わがまま 's stubborn self-centeredness.
Don't confuse with 素直 shares the kanji 素 with 素敵 but means 'obedient/honest', not 'lovely'.
素直 means obedient or unaffectedly compliant, while 正直 means truthful and honest; learners often mix them up because both are translated as 'honest'.
素直 shares the kanji 素 with 素朴 but means obedient or straightforward in attitude, not plain or unsophisticated.
Written forms 素す 直なお Usage 95%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
すなお Usage 4%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.
スナオ Usage <1%
Etymology Composed of 素 (plain, unadorned) and 直 (straight, direct). The combination suggests a straightforward, unpretentious nature. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the meaning has been stable in modern Japanese.
Report an issue with this page
Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
