神しん経けい質しつ

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Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

na-adjective, noun

nervous; high-strung; sensitive

Describes a personality or temporary state of being easily affected by small things, prone to worry, or overly sensitive to one's environment.

彼かれはとても神しん経けい質しつで、ちょっとした物もの音おとでも目めを覚さます。
He is very sensitive and wakes up at the slightest noise.
試し験けん前まえは誰だれでも神しん経けい質しつになるものだ。
Everyone gets nervous before exams.

na-adjective, noun

fussy; particular; worried about details

Often used for being overly concerned with trivial matters, cleanliness, order, or minor imperfections.

彼かの女じょは食たべ物ものの好このみに神しん経けい質しつで、外がい食しょくを嫌いやがる。
She is fussy about food and dislikes eating out.
そんな小ちいさなミスに神しん経けい質しつになる必ひつ要ようはないよ。
You don't need to be so worried about such a small mistake.

See all 31 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉に神しん経けい質しつになるto become nervous/overly sensitive about something
彼かれは最さい近きん、健けん康こうに神しん経けい質しつになっている。
He's become very nervous about his health lately.
〈物もの〉に神しん経けい質しつだto be fussy/particular about something
彼かの女じょは部屋へやの汚よごれに神しん経けい質しつだ。
She's very particular about dirt in her room.
〈人ひと〉は細こまかいことに神しん経けい質しつだsomeone is fussy about small/minor things
うちの部ぶ長ちょうは細こまかいことに神しん経けい質しつだ。
My department head is fussy about the smallest details.

Kanji

神gods, mind, soul
経sutra, longitude, pass thru
質substance, quality, matter

Related words· 9

過か敏びん sense 1
過敏 describes an exaggerated physical or emotional reaction to stimuli, while 神経質 describes a general personality trait of nervous worry over small things.
デリケート sense 1
デリケート is a loanword often used for delicate situations, health, or sensitive topics, while 神経質 focuses more on a person's nervous or fussy temperament.
気き難むずかしいN1sense 1
気難しい describes a person who is hard to please or moody, whereas 神経質 emphasizes nervous sensitivity and worry over small things.
心しん配ぱい性しょう sense 1
心配性 specifically means someone who worries habitually about everything, while 神経質 more broadly covers nervous sensitivity and fussiness.

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潔けっ癖ぺき sense 2
潔癖 focuses narrowly on an obsession with cleanliness or moral purity, while 神経質 covers fussiness about any kind of small detail.
細こまかいN4
神経質 describes a nervous, easily-bothered personality, while 細かい (as in 神経が細かい) focuses on noticing fine details without necessarily implying anxiety.
ナーバス
神経質 describes a person's ongoing personality trait of being easily irritated or overly sensitive, whereas ナーバス usually refers to a temporary state of nervousness.
敏びん感かんN1
神経質 describes a nervous, fussy personality that worries over small things, while 敏感 simply means quick to notice or respond, without the personality judgment.
几き帳ちょう面めんN1
神経質 describes an overly nervous, fussy temperament, while 几帳面 is a more neutral or positive term for methodical carefulness.

Opposites

おおらかN1sense 1
大らか describes a relaxed, easygoing person unbothered by small things, the opposite of a 神経質 person who worries over every detail.
無む頓とん着ちゃく sense 2
無頓着 means being indifferent or careless about details, directly opposite to the fussy attentiveness implied by 神経質.

Don't confuse with

神しん経けい過か敏びん sense 1
神経過敏 refers to an abnormal, often physical, oversensitivity of the nerves, while 神経質 refers to a personality trait of habitual worry and fussiness.
神しん経けいN3
神経 is the noun for nerves or sensitivity itself, while 神経質 is a na-adjective describing a nervous, high-strung personality trait.

Built from

神しん経けい+質しつ

Etymology

Compound of 神経 (nerves, nervous system) and 質 (quality, nature), literally meaning 'nervous disposition'. The word is a relatively modern coinage reflecting a psychological concept.