適てき切せつ

て

き

せ

つ

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

Used for choices, actions, words, or measures that fit the situation well. Often implies a considered judgment about what is right or fitting.

この場ばに適てき切せつな言こと葉ばを選えらんでください。
Please choose words appropriate for this occasion.
適てき切せつな対たい応おうを取とることが大たい切せつだ。
It is important to take appropriate measures.

See all 250 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉に適てき切せつに対たい応おうするto respond appropriately to something
問もん題だいが起おきたら適てき切せつに対たい応おうすることが大たい切せつだ。
It's important to respond appropriately when a problem occurs.
適てき切せつな〈物もの〉を選えらぶto choose an appropriate thing (word, method, etc.)
状じょう況きょうに応おうじて適てき切せつな言こと葉ばを選えらぶ必ひつ要ようがある。
You need to choose appropriate words depending on the situation.
適てき切せつな処しょ置ちを取とるto take appropriate measures
医い師しは適てき切せつな処しょ置ちを取とってくれた。
The doctor took the appropriate measures.
適てき切せつさを欠かくto lack appropriateness
その発はつ言げんは適てき切せつさを欠かいていたと批ひ判はんされた。
The remark was criticized for lacking appropriateness.

Kanji

適suitable, occasional, rare
切cut, cutoff, be sharp

Related words· 15

妥だ当とうN2
妥当 focuses on being reasonable or logically valid, while 適切 focuses on fitting the situation practically.
ふさわしいN2
ふさわしい is an i-adjective that stresses matching a person's status or occasion, while 適切 is more neutral and situational.
的てき確かくN2
的確 stresses precision and correctness of a judgment or action, while 適切 stresses overall suitability to the circumstances.
適てき正せい
適正 is often used for standards, prices, or levels being properly set, while 適切 is broader and covers actions, words, or measures fitting a situation.

Show 11 more

適てき当とうN4
適切 is a more formal, objective word for 'appropriate,' while 適当 can be subjective and also carries a casual negative sense.
適てき度どN3
適切 means 'appropriate' in the sense of fitting the situation, while 適度 focuses on the amount or degree being just right, not too much or too little.
タイムリーN1
適切 means appropriate or fitting in general, while タイムリー specifically emphasizes that something happens at just the right moment.
相そう当とうN3
適切 means 'appropriate' in the sense of being correct or fitting for a purpose, while 相当 emphasizes proportionality or being deserved/suitable in degree.
相そう応おうN1
適切 stresses objective correctness or fitness for a purpose, while 相応 stresses fittingness for a person's status or situation.
適てき宜ぎN1
適切 is the everyday, general word for 'appropriate,' while 適宜 specifically means doing something in a suitable manner as the situation or need dictates, often in formal instructions.
穏おん当とう
適切 means fitting for a particular situation, whereas 穏当 implies a balanced, non-controversial quality regardless of situation.
望のぞましいN2
適切 focuses on whether something is appropriate or suitable to the situation, while 望ましい focuses on whether it is the recommended or hoped-for option.
最さい適てきN2
適切 means simply 'appropriate' or 'fitting' without implying it is the single best option, while 最適 specifically means 'the optimal one'.
正ただしいN4
適切 means 'appropriate' for a situation, while 正しい focuses on being factually or morally correct rather than merely fitting.
適てきするN3
適切 is a na-adjective describing an action or measure as appropriate, while 適する is a verb describing a thing's or condition's suitability for a purpose.

Opposites

不ふ適てき切せつN2
適切 describes something as fitting or appropriate for the situation, the direct opposite of 不適切's sense of being unsuitable or improper.
不ふ適てき当とうN2
適切 means proper or appropriate, the direct opposite of 不適当 in formal or evaluative contexts.

Don't confuse with

適てき当とうN4
適当 shares the kanji 適 with 適切 and can mean 'suitable', but it is also commonly used to mean 'careless' or 'random', a negative sense 適切 never has.

Word family

不ふ適てき切せつN2
unsuitable; inappropriate; improper

Etymology

Compound of 適 (suitable, fit) and 切 (close, keen, cut). The combination conveys the idea of fitting closely to the situation. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning.