生意気 (なまいき, namaiki) Japanese meaning: impertinent

生意気 (なまいき, namaiki) Japanese meaning: impertinent | Kotomora

Kanji

生life, genuine, birth
意idea, mind, heart
気spirit, mind, air

Related words· 7

図ずう々ずうしいN3
図々しい stresses shameless, thick-skinned behavior in general, while 生意気 specifically describes disrespectful overconfidence, often from someone younger or lower-ranked.
厚あつかましいN2
厚かましい describes brazen, unreasonable requests or behavior, whereas 生意気 focuses on a disrespectful attitude or talking back.
傲ごう慢まん
傲慢 is a more formal, stronger word for arrogance rooted in a sense of superiority, while 生意気 is casual and often used about children or juniors acting cocky.
偉えらそう
偉そう describes acting high-and-mighty or bossy, while 生意気 specifically implies disrespect from someone who hasn't earned the right to act that way.

Show 3 more

生なまN3
生意気 is the full, standard word for impudent or cheeky, while 生 is only a rough colloquial abbreviation of it, as in なま言うな.
きざN1
気障 describes someone acting affectedly stylish or superior in an irritating way, while 生意気 describes cheeky, disrespectful attitude especially from someone who should show more humility.
反はん抗こう的てきN2
反抗的 focuses on open defiance of authority or rules, whereas 生意気 describes a cheeky, impudent attitude that can occur even without any authority being challenged.

Opposites

謙けん虚きょN2
謙虚 means humble and modest, the direct opposite of the disrespectful overconfidence described by 生意気.
殊しゅ勝しょう
生意気 describes a cocky, impudent attitude, the opposite of the humble, admirable attitude praised by 殊勝.

Don't confuse with

口くち答ごたえN1
生意気 is an adjective describing a cheeky, impertinent attitude in general, while 口答え is a noun naming the specific act of talking back.

Word family

小こ生なま意い気き
impudent; cheeky; impertinent
生なま意い気き盛ざかり
cheeky; brash; sassy

Built from

生なま+意い気き

Etymology

Derived from 生 (なま, 'raw, fresh') and 意気 (いき, 'spirit, vigor'), suggesting a raw, unrefined spirit that oversteps its bounds. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the compound has been used since the Edo period to describe impertinence.

生なま意い気き

Meanings

Usage patterns