きわどい

き

わ

ど

い

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

i-adjective

risky; dangerous; close; narrow

usually written using kana alone

Describes a situation that is barely safe, almost failing, or a narrow margin. Often used for close games, narrow victories, or risky actions.

きわどいところで勝かった。
We won by a narrow margin.

その計けい画かくはきわどいと思おもう。

I think that plan is risky.

2

i-adjective

suggestive; risqué; delicate; questionable

usually written using kana alone

Used for jokes, remarks, clothing, or questions that are almost indecent, too personal, or morally borderline.

彼かれのジョークはいつもきわどい。
His jokes are always risqué.
きわどい質しつ問もんをしてしまった。
I ended up asking a delicate question.

3

i-adjective

extreme; harsh; cruel

archaic

Archaic usage; now rarely used. Describes something severe, harsh, or cruel in an old-fashioned sense.

古こ文ぶんでは「きわどい仕し打うち」のように使つかわれた。
In classical texts, it was used like 'harsh treatment'.

Written forms

きわどいUsage67%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 際どい is also common, but kana is preferred in modern usage.
際きわどいUsage30%
Standard kanji form; still widely used, especially in formal writing.
キワドイUsage3%
際疾きわどい
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; the character 疾 is not common for this word.

Kanji

際occasion, side, edge
疾rapidly

Similar words

危あぶない
危ない is the most common word for 'dangerous', while きわどい emphasizes a narrow escape or borderline situation.
際きわどい
Same word in kanji; きわどい is the kana-preferred spelling, but 際どい is still common in formal contexts.

Etymology

Derived from 際 (きわ, 'edge, brink') + どい (adjective-forming suffix). The exact origin of どい is uncertain, but it may be related to an old adjective ending. The word originally meant 'being on the edge' and developed the sense of 'barely safe' or 'borderline'.