Below are 60 Japanese words for feelings and personality, each with a romaji reading. Many feelings are adjectives, like 悲しい (kanashii, sad), but just as many are verbs, like 驚いた (odoroita, surprised). Learn these five first: 悲しい, 寂しい (sabishii, lonely), 心配な (shinpai na, worried), 恥ずかしい (hazukashii, embarrassed) and 怒る (okoru, to get angry).
- Words
- 60: feelings, character, nouns and verbs
- Forms
- い-adjectives, な-adjectives, nouns and verbs in the た form
- Level
- A1–A2
- Read them in
- Contos stories (chapters 1–2 free)
60 Japanese words for feelings and character
Adjectives are shown in the form that sits before a noun: 親切な 人 (a kind person), 怒った 顔 (an angry face). Feelings that are verbs in Japanese appear in the た form (緊張した, nervous). This is the emotions pack the Contos web app uses for flashcard review.
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 嬉しい | ureshii | happy |
| 悲しい | kanashii | sad |
| 怒った | okotta | angry |
| 心配な | shinpai na | worried |
| 緊張した | kinchō shita | nervous |
| 落ち着いた | ochitsuita | calm |
| リラックスした | rirakkusu shita | relaxed |
| わくわくした | wakuwaku shita | excited |
| 驚いた | odoroita | surprised |
| がっかりした | gakkari shita | disappointed |
| 誇らしい | hokorashii | proud |
| 恥ずかしい | hazukashii | embarrassed |
| 寂しい | sabishii | lonely |
| 感謝している | kansha shite iru | grateful |
| 混乱した | konran shita | confused |
| 満足した | manzoku shita | satisfied |
| 親切な | shinsetsu na | kind |
| 親しみやすい | shitashimiyasui | friendly |
| 内気な | uchiki na | shy |
| 面白い | omoshiroi | funny |
| 賢い | kashikoi | clever |
| 正直な | shōjiki na | honest |
| 我慢強い | gamanzuyoi | patient |
| 気前のいい | kimae no ii | generous |
| 礼儀正しい | reigi tadashii | polite |
| 勇敢な | yūkan na | brave |
| 怠け者 | namakemono | lazy |
| 働き者 | hatarakimono | hard-working |
| 好奇心旺盛な | kōkishin ōsei na | curious |
| 真面目な | majime na | serious |
| 明るい | akarui | cheerful |
| 楽観的な | rakkanteki na | optimistic |
| 自信のある | jishin no aru | confident |
| 創造的な | sōzōteki na | creative |
| 頼りになる | tayori ni naru | reliable |
| 気持ち | kimochi | feeling |
| 感情 | kanjō | emotion |
| 気分 | kibun | mood |
| 喜び | yorokobi | joy |
| 幸せ | shiawase | happiness |
| 悲しみ | kanashimi | sadness |
| 恐怖 | kyōfu | fear |
| 怒り | ikari | anger |
| 愛 | ai | love |
| 希望 | kibō | hope |
| 性格 | seikaku | personality |
| 友情 | yūjō | friendship |
| 勇気 | yūki | courage |
| 信頼 | shinrai | trust |
| 優しさ | yasashisa | kindness |
| 怖がる | kowagaru | to be afraid |
| 会いたい | aitai | to miss someone |
| 抱きしめる | dakishimeru | to hug |
| 好きになる | suki ni naru | to fall in love |
| キスする | kisu suru | to kiss |
| 落ち着く | ochitsuku | to calm down |
| 許す | yurusu | to forgive |
| 謝る | ayamaru | to apologise |
| 楽しむ | tanoshimu | to enjoy |
| 怒る | okoru | to get angry |
Why are so many Japanese feelings verbs?
English says "I am surprised" with an adjective. Japanese often uses a verb that describes a change: 驚く (odoroku) is "to become surprised", so "I was surprised" is 驚きました. That is why this list gives several feelings in the past た form, as you would use them before a noun: 驚いた顔 (odoroita kao), a surprised face.
To say someone is in that state now, the verb takes 〜ている: 怒っている (okotte iru), is angry; 緊張している (kinchō shite iru), is nervous. Adjectives such as 心配 and 幸せ simply take です.
| In the list | Reading | In a sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 怒った | okotta | 怒っています (okotte imasu) | she is angry |
| 緊張した | kinchō shita | 緊張しています (kinchō shite imasu) | I'm nervous |
| 驚いた | odoroita | 驚きました (odorokimashita) | I was surprised |
| 心配な | shinpai na | 心配です (shinpai desu) | I'm worried |
| 嬉しい | ureshii | 嬉しいです (ureshii desu) | I'm glad, I'm happy |
先生 は まだ 怒って いました。Sensei wa mada okotte imashita.
In conversation, びっくりした (bikkuri shita) is the everyday way to say you were surprised; 驚いた sounds a little more written.
嬉しい or 幸せ, and feelings you say about yourself
The list gives 嬉しい (ureshii) for happy: being pleased about something that just happened, such as a present, good news or seeing a friend. It is one of the first feeling words to learn. 幸せ (shiawase), which the list gives for happiness, is happiness with your life or a situation, and it works as an adjective too: 今とても幸せです, I'm very happy now.
Words for inner feelings, such as 嬉しい, 悲しい, 寂しい and 怖い (kowai, scared), are normally said about yourself. For someone else, Japanese adds a sign that you are observing from outside: 嬉しそう (ureshisō, looks happy), or the verb 怖がる (kowagaru), to act scared. Stories told from inside a character's head can use the plain words, as this one does:
さとみ は 怖い です。 でも、 嬉しい です。Satomi wa kowai desu. Demo, ureshii desu.
犬が怖いです。
Inu ga kowai desu.
I'm scared of dogs.
弟は犬を怖がっています。
Otōto wa inu o kowagatte imasu.
My little brother is scared of dogs.
会いたいです。
Aitai desu.
I miss you.
Literally "I want to see you", which is why the list gives 会いたい for to miss someone. 寂しい (I'm lonely) also works; 恋しく思う is written style.
Describing someone's character
Ask about character with 性格 (seikaku): 彼はどんな性格ですか, what is he like? The most common compliment, 優しい (yasashii, kind, gentle), is not in this list; 親切 (shinsetsu) is kind in the sense of helpful to others. 真面目 (majime) means serious or conscientious, and in Japanese it is praise. 面白い (omoshiroi) covers both funny and interesting.
観光協会の 会長で、 優しくて 気前が いい 人だが、 伝説の ことになると 心配で 眠れない。Kankō kyōkai no kaichō de, yasashikute kimae ga ii hito da ga, densetsu no koto ni naru to shinpai de nemurenai.
彼女はとても優しい人です。
Kanojo wa totemo yasashii hito desu.
She is a very kind person.
田中さんは真面目な性格です。
Tanaka-san wa majime na seikaku desu.
Tanaka is conscientious by nature.
兄は内気で、人見知りです。
Ani wa uchiki de, hitomishiri desu.
My older brother is shy and awkward with people he doesn't know.
Read an A1 Japanese story and follow how its characters feel: tap any word to see what it means.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you say "I'm happy" in Japanese?
For being glad about something, say 嬉しいです (ureshii desu). For happiness with your life or a situation, say 幸せです (shiawase desu). Getting a present is 嬉しい; a long, good marriage is 幸せ.
What is the difference between 怖い and 怖がる?
怖い (kowai) is an adjective: scary, or scared when you say it about yourself. 怖がる (kowagaru) is a verb for someone else showing fear: 子どもが雷を怖がっています, the child is frightened of the thunder.
Does 面白い mean funny or interesting?
Both. 面白い (omoshiroi) covers a funny joke, an interesting book and a fun day out. Context tells you which. For a person, 面白い人 usually means a funny or entertaining person.
How do you tell someone not to be angry?
怒らないで (okoranaide), don't be angry, or more politely 怒らないでください. If you are the one who should apologise (謝る, ayamaru), start with ごめんなさい or すみません.