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気長 (きなが, kinaga) Japanese meaning: patient | Kotomora

気き長なが

き

な

が

JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

patient; unhurried; leisurely

Describes a calm, unhurried attitude, often when waiting for something or dealing with a situation without rushing. Commonly used as 気長に待つ or 気長な性格.

結けっ果かが出でるまで気き長ながに待まちましょう

。

Let's wait patiently until the results come out.

彼かれは気き長ながな性せい格かくで、どんなことにもじっくり取とり組くむ。

He has a patient personality and tackles everything carefully.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉を気き長ながに待まつto wait patiently for something
返へん事じが来くるまで気き長ながに待まつことにした。
I decided to wait patiently until a reply came.
気き長ながに構かまえるto take a relaxed, patient stance toward something
結けっ果かが出でるまで気き長ながに構かまえていよう。
Let's just take it easy and be patient until the results come in.
気き長ながにやるto do something slowly and patiently, without rushing
焦あせらず気き長ながにやりましょう。
Let's not rush and take our time with it.
〈人ひと〉は気き長ながな性せい格かくだsomeone has a patient, unhurried personality
彼かれは気き長ながな性せい格かくで、めったに焦あせらない。
He has a patient personality and rarely gets flustered.

Kanji

気spirit, mind, air
長long, leader, superior

Related words

のんびりN3
のんびり is a casual, often adverbial word for feeling relaxed and carefree, while 気長 specifically describes patience in waiting or dealing with something slowly.
辛しん抱ぼう強づよい
辛抱強い stresses tolerating hardship or difficulty with perseverance, whereas 気長 focuses on a relaxed, unhurried attitude toward time passing.
我が慢まん強づよい
我慢強い emphasizes enduring pain or hardship, while 気長 emphasizes a calm willingness to wait without stress.
悠ゆう長ちょう
気長 describes a patient, easygoing temperament, while 悠長 emphasizes an unhurried pace of action or speech.

Opposites

気き短みじか
気短 describes an impatient, short-tempered attitude, the direct opposite of the patient, unhurried 気長.
短たん気きN2
短気 means quick-tempered and impatient, contrasting with the calm patience expressed by 気長.

Don't confuse with

気き軽がるN2
気軽 means casual or carefree about doing something without hesitation, not patient like 気長, though the two look similar since both pair 気 with an adjective.
気き楽らくN2
気楽 describes feeling relaxed and free of worry, while 気長 specifically describes patience over time, so they shouldn't be swapped despite the similar 気+adjective form.

Built from

気き+長なが

Etymology

Compound of 気 (spirit, mind) and 長 (long), suggesting a mind that takes the long view. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the meaning is transparent from the kanji.