世知辛い · i-adjective
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 世知辛い | 世知辛くない |
| Polite | 世知辛いです | 世知辛くないですalso 世知辛くありません |
| Past polite | 世知辛かったです | 世知辛くなかったですalso 世知辛くありませんでした |
| Past | 世知辛かった | 世知辛くなかった |
| Te-form | 世知辛くて | 世知辛くなくて |
| Adverbial | 世知辛く | |
| Conditional | 世知辛ければ | 世知辛くなければ |
| Tara conditional | 世知辛かったら | 世知辛くなかったら |
Describes a world or times that are harsh, unkind, or difficult to live in. Often used in set phrases like 世知辛い世の中.
Precisely because it's a tough world, mutual help is important.
These days everything costs money; it's really hard.
Describes a person who is tight-fisted, money-grubbing, or always thinking about personal gain. Less common than sense 1.
He's a stingy guy who has never even treated his friends.