厳しい
kibishii[kʲibʲiɕii]
The English word 'grim' is translated into Japanese as 厳しい (kibishii).
厳しい is used to express that something is dismal, gloomy, cold or forbidding. However, it is most commonly used to describe strict rules, harsh weather or a severe person. While it can describe a grim psychological state or atmosphere, it focuses more on the uncompromising and rigorous nature of a situation rather than a sense of hopelessness or death.
Meaning: dismal and gloomy, cold and forbidding (adj)
Which one should you use?
While the English 'grim' often implies hopelessness or death, 厳しい focuses on severity, rigor or the uncompromising nature of a person or situation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective 厳しい changes to the adverbial form 厳しく when it is used to describe an action (meaning 'grimly' or 'strictly').
How do you pronounce it?
kibishii
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, calling a teacher 厳しい is often a compliment, implying they possess the high standards and rigor necessary to truly help a student grow.
- The word's roots suggest it originally meant 'tight' or 'close' without any gaps, rather than the emotional sense of severity we see today.
- Sports commentators frequently use 厳しい to describe a 'grim' mathematical probability, such as when a team's chances of winning a league are nearly zero.
Examples in context
- 厳しい世の中だなあ。It's a grim world.This sentence uses 厳しい to describe the nature of the world.Tatoeba #174980 by bunbuku, translation #239487 by CM
- 彼の表情は険しく、何か問題があるように見えました。His facial expression looked grim, as if something was wrong.
- 事故現場の様子は重苦しいもので、沈痛な空気が漂っていました。The scene of the accident was grim, with a heavy atmosphere of sorrow lingering.
- 彼は険しい顔をして、悪いことが起きたのかと思いました。He had a grim face, and I wondered if something bad had happened.
- 厳しい寒さが続いている。kibishii samusa ga tsuzuite iru.The harsh cold continues.
- 彼は厳しい表情を浮かべた。kare wa kibishii hyoujou o ukabeta.He wore a grim expression.
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are discussing the difficult economic situation.
- 蓮 Ren最近の経済状況は本当に厳しいね。Saikin no keizai jōkyō wa hontō ni kibishii ne.The recent economic situation is really grim, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himariええ、不安になりますよね。Ee, fuan ni narimasu yo ne.Yes, it makes you feel anxious.
- 蓮 Ren今後の見通しも厳しいと思う。Kongo no mitooshi mo kibishii to omou.I think the outlook for the future is also grim.
- 陽葵 Himariそれでも、頑張りましょう。Soredemo, ganbarimashō.Even so, let's do our best.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 厳しい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 厳しい, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
