気兼ね

きがね
Alternative writings: 気がね
JLPT:N1
Frequency:
1

restraint; hesitation; feeling awkward — being reluctant or reserved because one worries about troubling others.

NounIrregular VerbIntransitive Verb

Examples

彼の前では気兼ねして本音を言えない。

I feel so inhibited around him that I can't speak my true mind.

初対面の人に気兼ねする必要はないよ。リラックスして。

You don't need to feel awkward with someone you've just met. Relax.

実家に帰ると、親戚に気兼ねしてしまう。

When I go back to my parents' home, I end up feeling constrained around relatives.

Word Relationships

Synonyms
Antonym