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せせこましい Japanese meaning | Kotomora

せせこましい

せ

せ

こ

ま

し

い

Meanings

1

i-adjective

narrow; cramped; tight

Describes physical spaces that feel uncomfortably small or constricted.

この部屋へやはせせこましくて、家か具ぐをあまり置おけない。
This room is so cramped that I can't put much furniture in it.

2

i-adjective

fussy; narrow-minded

Used for a person's character or way of thinking that is petty, overly concerned with small details, or lacking in generosity.

彼かれはせせこましい性せい格かくで、小ちいさなことでもすぐ気きにする。
He has a fussy personality and worries about even the smallest things.

Similar words

狭せまい
狭い is a general word for 'narrow' or 'small' in physical space, while せせこましい emphasizes a cramped, uncomfortable feeling.
細こまかい
細かい means 'detailed' or 'fine' and can be neutral or positive, whereas せせこましい carries a negative nuance of being overly fussy or narrow-minded.

Etymology

The exact derivation is uncertain. It may be related to the mimetic element せせ (suggesting smallness or pettiness) combined with こましい (from 細かい, 'small, detailed'), but this is not firmly established.