のんき

の

ん

き

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

easygoing; carefree; optimistic; laid-back

usually written using kana alone

Describes a person or attitude that is relaxed, unhurried, and not easily worried. Can be positive (optimistic, laid-back) or mildly negative (careless, thoughtless) depending on context.

彼かれはいつものんきで、締しめ切きりが近ちかづいても慌あわてない。
He's always so easygoing; he doesn't panic even when the deadline is near.
のんきに構かまえている場ば合あいじゃないよ。
This is no time to be taking it easy.

See all 25 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉はのんきに構かまえるfor someone to take a relaxed, unworried attitude
彼かれは試し験けん前まえでものんきに構かまえている。
Even before the exam, he stays completely laid-back about it.
のんきな性せい格かくan easygoing personality
彼かの女じょはのんきな性せい格かくで、あまり悩なやまない。
She has an easygoing personality and doesn't worry much.
のんきに〈動どう詞し〉to do something in a carefree, unhurried way
彼かれは仕し事ごとも忘わすれてのんきに釣つりをしていた。
He fished away leisurely, forgetting all about work.
のんき者ものa carefree, easygoing person
彼かれは昔むかしからのんき者もので有ゆう名めいだった。
He's been known as an easygoing sort of guy since way back.

Kanji

呑drink
気spirit, mind, air
暢stretch
暖warmth

Related words

気き楽らくN2
気楽 stresses a deliberate sense of relief or freedom from worry, while 呑気 describes an inherent, unhurried temperament that doesn't easily worry.
楽らっ観かん的てきN1
楽観的 is a formal, intellectual term for having an optimistic outlook, whereas 呑気 refers to a relaxed, carefree personal manner.
悠ゆう然ぜん
悠然 describes a composed, unhurried bearing especially in one's actions or manner, while 呑気 focuses more on a lighthearted, worry-free attitude.
おっとりN2
おっとり describes a gentle, unhurried demeanor often seen as elegant or refined, while 呑気 emphasizes not worrying or rushing about things.
楽らく天てん的てきN1
のんき describes a relaxed, unworried temperament in everyday behavior, while 楽天的 more specifically emphasizes a positive expectation that things will turn out well.

Opposites

心しん配ぱい性しょう
心配性 describes someone who worries constantly over small things, the opposite of the easygoing, carefree nature of 呑気.

Don't confuse with

短たん気きN2
短気 (short-tempered, quick to anger) looks similar with its 気 ending but describes an irritable temperament, the opposite of the calm 呑気.
のどかN1
呑気 describes a person's carefree, easygoing personality, while のどか describes the peaceful quality of a scene, mood, or weather, not a personal trait.

Written forms

のんきUsage45%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms are ateji and less common.
呑のん気きUsage29%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)
Ateji spelling; recognized but less frequent than kana.
暢のん気きUsage12%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)
Ateji variant; rarely used.
のん気きUsage9%
search-only kanji form
Search-only mixed kanji-kana form.
ノンキUsage6%
search-only kana form
Search-only katakana form.
暖のん気き
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; easily confused with 暖気 (だんき, warm air).

Etymology

The word is of uncertain origin. The kanji spellings 呑気 and 暢気 are ateji (phonetic equivalents) and do not reflect the etymology. The reading のんき may be related to the mimetic word のんびり (leisurely, carefree).