堅かた苦くるしい

か

た

く

る

し

い

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

i-adjective

stiff; formal; ceremonious; strict

Describes a person, atmosphere, or manner that is overly formal, rigid, or lacking warmth and ease. Often used for social situations, rules, or writing style.

彼かれの挨あい拶さつはいつも堅かた苦くるしい。
His greetings are always stiff and formal.

この

レストラン

は

堅かた

苦くる

しく

なく

て

、

気き

楽らく

に

入はい

れる

。

This restaurant isn't stuffy, so you can go in casually.

Written forms

堅苦しいUsage84%
- かたくるしい
  Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
- かたぐるしい
  irregular kana usage
固かた苦くるしいUsage9%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
かた苦くるしいUsage4%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
かたくるしいUsage2%
Kana spelling; used when the kanji is avoided or for clarity.
堅かたくるしいUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
かたぐるしい
irregular kana usage

Kanji

堅strict, hard, solid
苦suffering, trial, worry
固harden, set, clot

Similar words

堅かたい
堅い means 'hard' or 'firm' in a physical or figurative sense, while 堅苦しい specifically refers to a stiff, overly formal manner or atmosphere.
格かく式しき張ばる
格式張る emphasizes adherence to formalities and ceremony, often in a positive or neutral sense, whereas 堅苦しい carries a negative nuance of being uncomfortably stiff.

Etymology

Compound of 堅 (kata, 'hard, stiff') + 苦しい (kurushii, 'painful, difficult'). The combination yields the sense of something being so stiff and formal that it feels oppressive or uncomfortable.