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小賢しい (こざかしい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
i-adjective
clever in an annoying way ; shrewd ; crafty ; impertinent
Describes someone who is overly clever, cunning, or cheeky in a way that irritates others. Often carries a negative, condescending tone. Can also imply pretentiousness or insolence.
あの
子こ
は
小こ
賢ざか
しく
て
、
すぐ
に
大人おとな
の
ご
機き
嫌げん
を
取と
ろう
と
する
。
That kid is impertinent and always tries to curry favor with adults.
Written forms 小こ 賢ざか しい Usage 65%
こざかしい Usage 23%
Kana spelling; used when the kanji is avoided or for emphasis.
小こ ざかしい Usage 13%
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; less common but still encountered.
Kanji 賢 intelligent, wise, wisdom Similar words 賢かしこ い 賢い is a positive term for 'smart' or 'wise', while 小賢しい adds a negative nuance of being annoyingly clever or impertinent.
ずる 賢がしこ い ずる賢い emphasizes slyness and cunning for selfish gain, whereas 小賢しい focuses more on the irritating, pretentious aspect of cleverness.
Etymology Compound of 小 (ko, 'small') + 賢しい (kashikoi, 'clever'), with the prefix 小 adding a belittling or derogatory nuance. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since at least the Edo period.
