Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 恥ずかしがり屋 | hazukashigariya | [ha̠zɨka̠ɕiɡa̠ɾʲija̠] (narrow) | |
| 引っ込み思案 | hikkomijian | [çi̥k̚ko̞mʲiʑiã̠ɴ] (narrow) | |
| 内気 | uchiki | [ɯ̟t͡ɕi̥kʲi] (narrow) | |
| 人見知りする | hitomishiri suru | verb |
内気 describes someone who is timid or reserved and is used for personality traits. 引っ込み思案 carries a nuance of being withdrawn or lacking the initiative to step forward in social situations. 恥ずかしがり屋 refers to a person who is shy and easily embarrassed. 人見知りする is used specifically when describing someone who is shy or hesitant specifically when meeting new people.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 恥ずかしがり屋 is built from 恥ずかしい (embarrassing/shy) and the suffix -がり屋, which denotes a person prone to a certain feeling, literally meaning one who feels shame or embarrassment.
Which one should you use?
内気 describes someone who is timid or reserved.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb form 人見知りする uses the noun 人見知り (shyness with strangers) combined with the verb する (to do).
How do you pronounce it?
hazukashigariya
Did you know?
- Japanese has a distinct concept called 恥の文化 or 'culture of shame'. This makes the usage of words like 恥ずかしい much more central to social navigation than the English word 'shy'.
- The term 人見知り describes a specific type of shyness toward strangers that is common in infants. Parents often use this word to explain why a baby is crying or clinging to them when meeting new people.
- The term 引っ込み思案 combines the word for 'withdrawing' with 思案, which means 'contemplation' or 'thinking'. It describes a person who thinks too much before taking action.
Examples in context
- 私は内気ではない。I'm not shy.This sentence is useful for practicing the negation of 内気.Tatoeba #3507380 by arnab, translation #2221143 by Hybrid
- 私は引っ込み思案です。I'm shy.This sentence is useful for expressing that you are 引っ込み思案.Tatoeba #3480374 by arnab, translation #2203346 by CK
- トムは恥ずかしがり屋だ。Tom's shy.This sentence is useful for describing Tom as a 恥ずかしがり屋.Tatoeba #12817007 by small_snow, translation #2107593 by CK
- 昨日、新しい人に話しかけられて照れちゃった。Yesterday, I got shy when someone new approached me.
- 31 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are talking about a new classmate.
- 結衣 Yui新しい人は、恥ずかしがり屋みたいだね。Atarashii hito wa, hazukashigariya mitai da ne.The new person seems shy, doesn't he?
- 健太 Kentaうん、あまり話さないからね。Un, amari hanasanai kara ne.Yeah, because he doesn't talk much.
- 結衣 Yui健太くんは恥ずかしがり屋なの？Kenta-kun wa hazukashigariya nano?Are you shy, Kenta?
- 健太 Kentaいいえ、僕は全然違うよ。Iie, boku wa zenzen chigau yo.No, I'm not like that at all.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shy” translations and entries 恥ずかしがり屋, 引っ込み思案, 内気, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 引っ込み思案, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
