人見知りです
Hitomishiri desu
The English phrase 'I am shy' can be expressed in Japanese as 人見知りです (Hitomishiri desu).
While the English word 'shy' can describe a general personality trait, 人見知り specifically refers to being shy or awkward in social situations involving unfamiliar people. To emphasize the action of being shy in a specific moment or situation, you can use the verb phrase 人見知りをする.
Which one should you use?
The term 人見知り is specifically used for shyness with strangers.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase informal, you can replace the polite です (desu) with the plain form だ (da), resulting in 人見知りだ.
How do you pronounce it?
Hitomishiri desu
Did you know?
- The term 人見知り is most commonly used in Japan to describe infants who cry or cling to their parents when a stranger approaches them.
- The word 人 means 'person' and 知り comes from the verb 'to know', literally framing this kind of shyness as 'difficulty in knowing people'.
- If you want to say you are 'socially awkward' in a broader, more intense sense, you might use the word コミュ障 (komushou), which is much more blunt and modern than 人見知り.
Examples in context
- 実は、人見知りです。Jitsu wa, hitomishiri desu.Actually, I am shy.
- かなりの人見知りです。Kanari no hitomishiri desu.I am quite shy.
- 彼は人見知りです。Kare wa hitomishiri desu.He is shy.
Example conversation
Hina and Kenta are meeting for the first time at a party.
- 陽葵 Himariはじめまして、陽葵です。Hajimemashite, Hina desu.Nice to meet you, I'm Hina.
- 健太 Kentaはじめまして、健太です。よろしくお願いします。Hajimemashite, Kenta desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.Nice to meet you, I'm Kenta. Pleased to meet you.
- 陽葵 Himari実は私、人見知りです。Jitsu wa watashi, hitomishiri desu.Actually, I'm quite shy around new people.
- 健太 Kenta大丈夫ですよ。ゆっくり話しましょう。Daijobu desu yo. Yukkuri hanashimashou.That's okay. Let's just take our time talking.
