賢さかしい

さ

か

し

い

Meanings

1

i-adjective

Often used in a somewhat literary or formal context. Can carry a nuance of being shrewd or discerning, but not necessarily negative.

彼かれは賢さかしい判はん断だんで難なん局きょくを乗のり切きった。
He navigated the difficult situation with a wise decision.

2

i-adjective

smart-alecky; cheeky; impertinent

Used to describe someone who is overly clever in an irritating or presumptuous way, often with a nuance of being too big for one's britches.

あの子こは賢さかしい口くちをきく。
That kid talks back cheekily.
賢さかしい真似まねをするな。
Don't get smart with me.

Written forms

賢さかしいUsage56%
Standard kanji spelling. The kanji 賢 carries the meaning of intelligence and wisdom.
さかしいUsage44%
Kana spelling is common in modern usage, especially when the word is used in its negative sense.

Kanji

賢intelligent, wise, wisdom

Similar words

賢かしこい
賢い is the standard word for 'smart' or 'wise' and is neutral/positive. 賢しい is less common and often carries a negative or literary nuance.
小こ賢ざかしい
小賢しい intensifies the negative nuance of 賢しい, meaning 'crafty' or 'slyly clever' in a more derogatory way.

Etymology

Derived from the adjective 賢い (かしこい) with a shift in meaning and nuance. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the form さかしい is considered a variant that developed a more specific, often negative connotation.