堅かた物ぶつ

noun

straight-laced person; stubborn person

Describes someone who is rigidly serious, inflexible, and often overly formal or moralistic. Can be used critically or humorously.

• 彼かれは堅かた物ぶつだから、冗じょう談だんが通つうじない。

  He's so straight-laced that jokes don't get through to him.

• あの上じょう司しは堅かた物ぶつで、融ゆう通ずうが利きかない。

  That boss is a stubborn stickler and won't bend the rules.