Tendency and state

～気味

a touch of; feeling slightly; showing signs of

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How to form it

  • Noun + 気味
  • Verb (ます-stem) + 気味

Register: Neutral; common for health or condition

Explanation

Says that a person or situation shows a slight sign of something, usually unwelcome.

Describes a mild degree, such as 風邪気味 (a touch of a cold) or 疲れ気味 (a bit worn out).

Examples

  1. 風邪気味なので、今日は早く寝る。

    かぜぎみなので、きょうははやくねる。

    I have a bit of a cold, so I will go to bed early today.

  2. 最近、疲れ気味で、仕事に集中できない。

    さいきん、つかれぎみで、しごとにしゅうちゅうできない。

    Lately I've been somewhat tired and can't concentrate on work.

  3. 彼は太り気味だと言って、運動を始めた。

    かれはふとりぎみだといって、うんどうをはじめた。

    He said he was gaining a little weight and started exercising.

Compare with

  • ～っぽい: っぽい describes a quality; 気味 describes a slight sign of a condition.

Common mistakes

  • Using it for positive conditions. It is normally for undesirable ones.