気きに入いり

き

に

い

り

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

Refers to a person or thing one is particularly fond of. Often used with the honorific prefix お (お気に入り) in polite or everyday contexts. Can imply favoritism when used for a person (e.g., teacher's pet).

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉の気きに入いりsomeone's favorite (person), often implying favoritism
彼かれはいつも先せん生せいの気きに入いりだった。
He was always the teacher's favorite.
気きに入いりの〈物もの〉one's favorite (item)
これは私わたしの気きに入いりの本ほんだ。
This is my favorite book.

Kanji

気spirit, mind, air
入enter, insert

Related words

好すきN5
好き is an adjective meaning 'liked/favorite' and can describe feelings broadly, while 気に入り is a noun that names a specific favored person or thing.

Politeness

お気きに入いりpolite 丁寧語N3
お気に入り adds the polite prefix お and is the far more common form in everyday speech, while 気に入り alone sounds slightly blunt or old-fashioned.

Don't confuse with

気きに入いるN3
気に入る is the verb meaning 'to come to like/take a fancy to', whereas 気に入り is the noun form referring to the favorite person or thing itself.

Built from

気き+入いる

Etymology

Compound of 気 (ki, 'spirit; mood') + に (ni, particle) + 入り (iri, 'entering'), from the verb 気に入る (ki ni iru, 'to be pleased with'). Literally 'that which enters one's spirit'.