気きがかり

き

が

か

り

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun, na-adjective

worry; anxiety; concern

Describes a lingering uneasy feeling about something; often used when something is on one's mind. Functions as both a noun and a na-adjective.

彼かれの健けん康

こう

が

気き

がかり

だ

。

I'm worried about his health.

試し験けんの結けっ果かが気きがかりで眠ねむれなかった。

I couldn't sleep because I was anxious about the exam results.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉が気きがかりだto be worried/concerned about something
娘むすめの就しゅう職しょく先さきが気きがかりだ。
I'm worried about where my daughter will end up working.
〈事こと〉が気きがかりで〈動どう詞し〉to do something because a worry is weighing on one's mind
試し験けんの結けっ果かが気きがかりで眠ねむれなかった。
I couldn't sleep because I was worried about the exam results.
気きがかりな〈事こと〉a worrying matter/thing
一ひとつ気きがかりな点てんがある。
There's one point that's bothering me.
〈人ひと〉のことが気きがかりだto be worried about someone
一人ひとり暮ぐらしの祖そ母ぼのことが気きがかりだ。
I'm concerned about my grandmother who lives alone.

Kanji

気spirit, mind, air
掛hang, suspend, depend
懸state of suspension, hang, depend

Related words· 6

心しん配ぱいN5
心配 is the general, everyday word for worry and is often used as a suru-verb, while 気がかり emphasizes a specific, lingering unease that stays on one's mind.
不ふ安あんN3
不安 describes a stronger, more abstract anxiety that may have no clear cause, whereas 気がかり is usually tied to a particular matter.
懸け念ねんN1
懸念 is a formal, often written word for concern about a possible negative outcome, while 気がかり is more everyday and personal in tone.
屈くっ託たく
気掛かり points to a specific thing that is on one's mind, whereas 屈託 describes the broader mental state of being troubled or preoccupied.

Show 2 more

気きになるN3
気がかり is a noun/adjective for a nagging worry, close in feel to 気になる but used more as a descriptive label than a verb phrase.
気きにかかるN2
気がかり is a noun/na-adjective describing a nagging concern, while 気にかかる is the verb phrase expressing that something weighs on one's mind.

Opposites

安あん心しんN4
安心 means a feeling of relief and peace of mind, the opposite of the lingering unease expressed by 気がかり.

Written forms

気きがかりUsage83%
Standard spelling; the most common written form.
気き掛がかりUsage11%
Alternative kanji form using 掛.
気き懸がかりUsage4%
search-only kanji form
Search-only variant; not recommended for active use.
気き掛がかり

Etymology

Compound of 気 (ki, 'mind, spirit') and 掛かり (kakari, 'hanging, being attached'), from the verb 掛かる (kakaru, 'to hang, to be attached'). Literally 'something hanging on one's mind'.

Usage1%

search-only kanji form

Search-only variant; not recommended for active use.

気き懸がかり

rarely-used kanji form

Rarely used kanji form with 懸.