administrative; businesslike; practical
Describes a manner, attitude, or process that is efficient, matter-of-fact, and focused on getting things done without unnecessary emotion or decoration.
His businesslike response actually felt trustworthy.
会議は事務的に進み、30分で終わった。
The meeting proceeded in a practical manner and finished in 30 minutes.
impersonal; perfunctory; mechanical
Often carries a negative nuance of being cold, detached, or lacking human warmth; used when someone acts like a robot or goes through the motions without genuine feeling.
店員の事務的な「いらっしゃいませ」にがっかりした。
I was disappointed by the clerk's perfunctory 'irasshaimase'.
彼女の手紙はあまりに事務的で、友情を感じなかった。
Her letter was so impersonal that I didn't feel any friendship.
The receptionist's manner was always businesslike and impersonal.
I was instructed to handle complaints in a strictly businesslike manner.
The doctor announced the test results in a flat, matter-of-fact tone.
All the paperwork was dealt with as routine administrative processing.
機械的 stresses an automatic, thoughtless machine-like quality, while 事務的 stresses a bureaucratic, office-like lack of warmth.
ビジネスライク is a loanword for a brisk, professional manner, whereas 事務的 is the native term that can also carry a negative, impersonal nuance.
形式的 focuses on following formalities or going through the motions, while 事務的 focuses on being efficient and unemotional in handling matters.
そっけない describes a curt, unfriendly response, while 事務的 implies a systematic, office-like detachment rather than plain rudeness.
冷淡 describes a cold, unfeeling attitude toward people, while 事務的 describes behaving like one is just processing paperwork.
Compound of 事務 (じむ, 'office work, business') + 的 (てき, '-like, -ish'). The meaning follows naturally from the components.