Translation guide
The quality of being unwilling to consider different ideas, perspectives, or ways of life. In Japanese, this is often expressed through adjectives describing a person's character, set phrases about limited thinking, or metaphors about smallness and rigidity.
Describing a person who is intolerant of different views, inflexible, or prejudiced.
A noun/adjective meaning 'narrow-mindedness' or 'intolerance'. Often used in formal or written contexts to describe a person's character.
彼は狭量な人だ。
He is a narrow-minded person.
A common phrase literally meaning 'heart is narrow'. Used to describe someone who is petty, intolerant, or ungenerous in spirit.
心が狭い人は他人の意見を聞かない。
Narrow-minded people don't listen to others' opinions.
A more formal or literary term for 'narrow-mindedness' or 'bigotry', emphasizing prejudice and intolerance.
偏狭な考え方は社会の進歩を妨げる。
Narrow-minded thinking hinders social progress.
Literally 'field of vision is narrow', this phrase means having a limited perspective or being unable to see the big picture.
視野が狭いと、新しいアイデアが浮かばない。
If you're narrow-minded, you won't come up with new ideas.
An idiomatic expression meaning 'narrow-minded' or 'intolerant', often used in spoken Japanese. '了見' refers to one's way of thinking or discretion.
そんな了見の狭いことを言うな。
Don't say such narrow-minded things.
Focusing on trivial matters, being ungenerous, or lacking magnanimity.
When used to describe a person's character, '小さい' means 'petty' or 'small-minded'. Often used in the phrase '器が小さい' (lacking capacity/generosity).
Slang meaning 'petty', 'stingy', or 'small-minded'. Often used for someone who is overly concerned with minor gains or holds grudges.
Literally 'capacity is narrow', meaning lacking magnanimity or tolerance. Used for leaders or people in positions requiring generosity.
度量が狭い上司の下では働きたくない。
I don't want to work under a narrow-minded boss.
Being unable to adapt to new ideas or change, stubbornly sticking to one's own views.
Means 'stubborn' or 'obstinate'. While not a direct translation of 'narrow-mindedness', it often implies an unwillingness to consider other perspectives.
彼は頑固で、自分の意見を変えない。
He is stubborn and won't change his opinion.
Literally 'head is hard', meaning inflexible in thinking, unable to accept new ideas.
頭が固い人には新しいやり方を説明しても無駄だ。
It's useless to explain new methods to a narrow-minded person.
A straightforward phrase meaning 'way of thinking is narrow'. Directly describes narrow-mindedness.
考え方が狭いと、人生の選択肢も限られる。
If you're narrow-minded, your options in life are also limited.
狭量 (きょうりょう) is a formal term for narrow-mindedness, often used in writing. 心が狭い (こころがせまい) is the most common everyday expression for being petty or intolerant. 偏狭 (へんきょう) carries a stronger nuance of prejudice and bigotry, and is less common in casual speech.
The direct translation '狭い心' (せまいこころ) is not commonly used as a set phrase. Instead, use '心が狭い' or other established expressions. Saying '彼は狭い心を持っている' sounds unnatural.
Don't get mad over petty things.