小こ気き味み良よい

also: こきみいい

Meanings

1

i-adjective (yoi/ii class)

Describes a pleasant, brisk, or refreshing feeling, often from something sharp, witty, or well-executed. Can apply to remarks, actions, or sensations.

彼かれの小こ気き味み良よい返へん答とうに、会かい場じょうから笑わらいが起おきた。
His brisk, satisfying reply drew laughter from the audience.

この辛からさが小こ気き味み良よくて、つい食たべ過すぎてしまう。

This spiciness is so delightfully piquant that I end up eating too much.

Written forms

小気味良い
- こきみよい
  Standard kanji spelling with the reading こきみよい. High priority in news and frequency lists.
- こきみいい
小こ気き味みよい
Variant spelling using よい instead of 良い. Less common but still encountered.
小こ気き味みいい
Spelling with いい, reflecting the colloquial reading こきみいい. Acceptable in informal writing.
小気味好い
- こきみよい
  Rare variant using 好い. Lists it but it is not commonly used.
- こきみいい
こきみいい

Kanji

小little, small
気spirit, mind, air
味flavor, taste
良

Similar words

心地ここち良よい
心地良い focuses on physical or emotional comfort, while 小気味良い emphasizes a brisk, stimulating satisfaction.
痛つう快かい
痛快 is a noun/adjectival noun meaning 'thrilling' or 'exhilarating', often used for larger-scale events, whereas 小気味良い is an adjective for smaller, sharper pleasures.

Etymology

Compound of 小気味 (こきみ, 'small feeling' or 'slight sensation') and 良い/いい ('good'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination yields the sense of a pleasantly sharp or brisk quality.

good, pleasing, skilled

好fond, pleasing, like something