Translation guide
The quality of being very attentive to detail, cleanliness, or accuracy, often to an excessive degree. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various words and phrases that emphasize meticulousness, pickiness, or a strong aversion to disorder, depending on the context.
Describing a person who is extremely careful and precise in their work or habits, often in a positive or neutral sense.
A common na-adjective meaning meticulous, methodical, or punctilious. It often carries a positive connotation of being well-organized and thorough.
彼は几帳面な性格だ。
He has a meticulous personality.
几帳面にノートを取る。
Take notes meticulously.
An i-adjective meaning detailed, fine, or meticulous. It can describe a person who pays attention to small details, but can also imply being nitpicky depending on context.
彼女は細かいところまで気がつく。
She notices even the smallest details.
A na-adjective meaning nervous, sensitive, or high-strung. It often describes someone who is overly anxious about details, cleanliness, or order, and can have a negative nuance of being too fastidious.
彼は掃除に神経質だ。
He is fastidious about cleaning.
Describing a person who is overly preoccupied with hygiene, tidiness, or organization, often to the point of being difficult.
Literally 'cleanliness obsession', this noun describes a person who is pathologically fastidious about cleanliness. It can be used both clinically and colloquially.
彼は潔癖症で、一日に何度も手を洗う。
He is a cleanliness freak and washes his hands many times a day.
A noun meaning 'lover of cleanliness'. It describes someone who likes things clean and tidy, but is less intense than 潔癖症.
母はきれい好きで、いつも家をピカピカにしている。
My mother is a clean freak and always keeps the house spotless.
A phrase meaning 'can't feel at ease unless things are tidied up'. It expresses a compulsive need for order.
彼女は片付けられないと気が済まないタイプだ。
She's the type who can't relax unless everything is in order.
Describing someone who is very selective or hard to please, especially regarding food, preferences, or quality.
A common phrase meaning 'having many likes and dislikes', often used for picky eaters or people with strong preferences.
うちの子は好き嫌いが多くて、野菜を全然食べない。
My child is very picky and won't eat vegetables at all.
Means 'having strong preferences or being particular about something'. It can be positive (discerning) or negative (stubbornly picky).
彼はコーヒーにこだわりが強い。
He is very particular about his coffee.
A verb meaning to be choosy or fastidious in selecting something, often with a negative nuance of being overly selective.
彼女は仕事をえり好みしすぎて、なかなか就職できない。
She is too choosy about jobs and can't seem to find employment.
几帳面 (kichōmen) is generally positive, implying reliability and orderliness. 神経質 (shinkeishitsu) often carries a negative nuance of being overly anxious or irritable about details. Use 几帳面 to praise someone's thoroughness, and 神経質 to describe someone who is excessively fastidious to the point of causing stress.
几帳面な人は信頼される。
Meticulous people are trusted.
神経質な人は周りをイライラさせることがある。
Nervous people can sometimes irritate those around them.
There is no single Japanese word that perfectly matches 'fastidiousness' in all contexts. Translating it directly as 好みがうるさい (literally 'fussy tastes') or 細心 (saishin, 'meticulous') can sound unnatural. Instead, choose the expression that best fits the specific nuance: cleanliness, detail-orientation, or pickiness.
彼の几帳面さには感心する。
I admire his fastidiousness (meticulousness).
彼女の潔癖症には困ったものだ。
Her fastidiousness about cleanliness is a problem.