気きまぐれ

き

ま

ぐ

れ

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

whim; caprice; fancy

Refers to a sudden, unpredictable desire or change of mind. Often used in phrases like 気まぐれで (on a whim) or 気まぐれな (whimsical).

彼かれは気きまぐれで旅たびに出でた。
He set off on a trip on a whim.
今日きょうの買かい物ものは気き

まぐれ

だ

。

Today's shopping was a spur-of-the-moment thing.

2

na-adjective

capricious; fickle; whimsical

Describes a person, mood, or thing that changes unpredictably. Can be used as 気まぐれな + noun or 気まぐれだ.

彼かの女じょは気きまぐれな性せい格かくだ。
She has a capricious personality.
春はるの天てん気きは気きまぐれだ。
Spring weather is fickle.

Written forms

気きまぐれUsage79%
Standard spelling; the kanji 気紛れ is less common.
気紛きまぐれUsage13%
Kanji form using 紛れ; seen occasionally but 気まぐれ is preferred.
きまぐれUsage8%
キマグレUsage1%

Kanji

気spirit, mind, air
紛distract, be mistaken for, go astray

Similar words

わがまま
わがまま implies selfishness or self-centeredness, while 気まぐれ focuses on unpredictability and changing one's mind without a clear reason.
移うつり気ぎ
移り気 specifically refers to a tendency to change interests or affections easily, often in romantic contexts, whereas 気まぐれ is broader and can apply to any sudden whim.

Etymology

Compound of 気 (ki, 'mind, spirit') and まぐれ (magure, 'coincidence, fluke'), from the verb 紛れる (magureru, 'to be confused, to be mixed up'). Literally 'a confused mind', referring to unpredictable changes of mood or desire.