細こまやか

こ

ま

や

か

JLPTN1

Meanings

1

na-adjective

tender; warm; thoughtful

Describes heartfelt, considerate actions or feelings, often in personal relationships.

彼かの女じょの細こま

やか

な

心こころ

遣づか

い

に

感かん

動どう

し

た

。

I was touched by her thoughtful consideration.

2

na-adjective

meticulous; detailed; attentive

Used for careful, thorough attention to small points, such as in work or descriptions.

彼かれは細こまやかな説せつ明めいで、誰だれにでもわかりやすく話はなした。
He gave a detailed explanation that was easy for anyone to understand.

3

na-adjective

deep (color); thick (fog)

Describes rich, dense quality of color or fog; less common than the other senses.

山やまには細こまやかな霧きりが立たちこめていた。
A thick fog hung over the mountain.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉に細こまやかな心こころ遣づかいをするto show someone thoughtful, warm consideration
彼かの女じょはいつも周まわりの人ひとに細こまやかな心こころ遣づかいをする。
She always shows warm, thoughtful consideration to the people around her.
細こまやかな気き配くばりができるto be capable of meticulous, attentive care
彼かれはお客きゃく様さまに対たいして細こまやかな気き配くばりができる人ひとだ。
He is someone who can pay meticulous, attentive care to customers.
細こまやかな愛あい情じょうを注そそぐto pour tender affection (onto someone)
母ははは子こどもたちに細こまやかな愛あい情じょうを注そそいで育そだてた。
The mother raised her children pouring tender affection into them.
〈事こと〉を細こまやかに描びょう写しゃするto describe something in fine, detailed strokes
作さっ家かは登とう場じょう人じん物ぶつの心しん理りを細こまやかに描びょう写しゃした。

Kanji

細dainty, get thin, taper
濃concentrated, thick, dark

Related words

優やさしいN5sense 1
優しい is the common, everyday word for being kind or gentle, while 細やか is a more literary word stressing warm, considerate care in detail.
綿めん密みつ sense 2
綿密 stresses thorough, careful planning or analysis, whereas 細やか highlights attentive care toward small points, often in personal or descriptive contexts.
濃こいN4sense 3
濃い is the common word for 'deep/thick' in color or fog, while 細やか in this sense is literary and rare.

Opposites

大おおまかN2sense 2
大まか means rough or general, the opposite of the meticulous, detail-oriented sense of 細やか.
冷れい淡たんN1sense 1
冷淡 describes a cold, indifferent attitude, contrasting with the warm, caring nuance of 細やか.

Don't confuse with

細こまかいN4
細かい focuses on small physical size or fine detail, while 細やか emphasizes emotional warmth or careful attention.

Word family

事こと細こまやか
detailed; minute; in great detail
きめ細こまやか
attentive to detail; meticulous; considerate; careful

Written forms

細こまやかUsage54%
Standard kanji spelling for all senses; 細 suggests delicacy and detail.
こまやかUsage41%
濃こまやかUsage5%
Rare kanji variant for the 'deep/thick' sense; 濃 implies density of color or fog.

Etymology

Derived from 細 (こま, 'fine, small') + やか (adjectival suffix). The 'deep/thick' sense may be a separate homophone written with 濃, but the exact historical relationship is uncertain.

The author depicted the characters' psychology in fine, detailed strokes.