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How to say 'Cheeky' in Japanese | 生意気

Wondering how to say 'Cheeky' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Cheeky is 'Namaiki', written as 生意気 in Japanese.'Cheeky' in hiragana is なまいき.

    Meaning

    Cheeky

    Reading

    なまいき

    namaiki

    Kanji

    Life Idea Spirit

    Explanation

    The Japanese adjectival noun '生意気 (なまいき)' means 'cheeky' or 'impertinent'. It is used to describe someone, often a younger person, who behaves in a way that is overly confident, arrogant, or disrespectful, especially when they lack the experience or status to justify such behavior. For example: That kid is so cheeky「あの子はとても生意気だ」(あのこはとてもなまいきだ). Don't be cheeky to your elders「年上に生意気なことを言うな」(としうえになまいきなことをいうな). The term carries a slightly negative connotation and is often used to scold or criticize someone for their attitude.

    Part Of Speech

    adjectival noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N4

    Kanji Grade

    3

    Frequency

    6341

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word 生意気

This word contains 3 kanji characters:

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Life

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Idea

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Spirit

Words Related to 生意気 Through the Kanji

These 54 Words contain the Kanji 生 as well.

  • word

    大学生

    Meaning

    Student

  • word

    高校生

    Meaning

    High school student

  • word

    先生

    Meaning

    Teacher

  • word

    生きる

    Meaning

    Live

  • word

    留学生

    Meaning

    Foreign student

  • word

    生まれる

    Meaning

    Born

  • word

    人生

    Meaning

    Life

  • word

    生ずる

    Meaning

    Arise

  • word

    学生

    Meaning

    Student

  • word

    生産

    Meaning

    Production

  • word

    生活

    Meaning

    Life

  • word

    中学生

    Meaning

    Middle school student

  • word

    小学生

    Meaning

    Elementary student

  • word

    生徒

    Meaning

    Student

  • word

    発生

    Meaning

    Occurrence

  • word

    生命

    Meaning

    Life

  • word

    生む

    Meaning

    Give birth

  • word

    一生

    Meaning

    Lifetime

  • word

    生物

    Meaning

    Organism

  • word

    誕生日

    Meaning

    Birthday

  • word

    一生懸命

    Meaning

    Hard, Earnestly

  • word

    生かす

    Meaning

    Utilize

  • word

    生理

    Meaning

    Menstruation, Physiology

  • word

    生み出す

    Meaning

    Produce

  • word

    厚生

    Meaning

    Welfare

  • word

    生まれ

    Meaning

    Birth

  • word

    生じる

    Meaning

    Arise

  • word

    生き方

    Meaning

    Lifestyle

  • word

    生け花

    Meaning

    Flower arranging

  • word

    生年月日

    Meaning

    Birthdate

  • word

    生まれつき

    Meaning

    Innately

  • word

    生き生きと

    Meaning

    Vividly

  • word

    生涯

    Meaning

    Lifetime

  • word

    生死

    Meaning

    Life and death

  • word

    生存

    Meaning

    Survival

  • word

    生える

    Meaning

    Grow

  • word

    衛生的

    Meaning

    Sanitary

  • word

    再生

    Meaning

    Playback, Recycling

  • word

    芝生

    Meaning

    Lawn

  • word

    生き物

    Meaning

    Creature

  • word

    衛生

    Meaning

    Hygiene

  • word

    生成

    Meaning

    Generation

  • word

    長生き

    Meaning

    Long life

  • word

    生やす

    Meaning

    Grow

  • word

    Meaning

    Raw

  • word

    無生物

    Meaning

    Inanimate

  • word

    生態

    Meaning

    Ecology

  • word

    生き残る

    Meaning

    Survive

  • word

    新生

    Meaning

    Rebirth

  • word

    出生

    Meaning

    Birth

  • word

    生き生き

    Meaning

    Vividly

  • word

    誕生

    Meaning

    Birth

  • word

    同級生

    Meaning

    Classmate

  • word

    生臭い

    Meaning

    Fishy, Bloody

Words Related to 生意気 Through the Kanji

These 28 Words contain the Kanji 意 as well.

  • word

    意味

    Meaning

    Meaning

  • word

    意見

    Meaning

    Opinion

  • word

    注意

    Meaning

    Attention

  • word

    用意

    Meaning

    Preparation

  • word

    意思

    Meaning

    Intention

  • word

    得意

    Meaning

    Good, Pride

  • word

    意外

    Meaning

    Unexpected

  • word

    意志

    Meaning

    Will

  • word

    意義

    Meaning

    Significance

  • word

    Meaning

    Meaning

  • word

    合意

    Meaning

    Agreement

  • word

    決意

    Meaning

    Determination

  • word

    意図

    Meaning

    Intention

  • word

    意地悪

    Meaning

    Spite

  • word

    意識

    Meaning

    Awareness, Consciousness

  • word

    意欲

    Meaning

    Motivation

  • word

    不意

    Meaning

    Suddenness

  • word

    意気

    Meaning

    Spirit, Enthusiasm

  • word

    好意

    Meaning

    Goodwill

  • word

    意地

    Meaning

    Stubbornness, Disposition

  • word

    任意

    Meaning

    Voluntary, Optional

  • word

    同意

    Meaning

    Consent, Agreement

  • word

    無意味

    Meaning

    Meaningless

  • word

    不注意

    Meaning

    Carelessness

  • word

    意向

    Meaning

    Intention

  • word

    無意識

    Meaning

    Unconsciously

  • word

    注意深い

    Meaning

    Careful

  • word

    不得意

    Meaning

    Poor

Words Related to 生意気 Through the Kanji

These 42 Words contain the Kanji 気 as well.

  • word

    Meaning

    Spirit, Mood

  • word

    元気

    Meaning

    Healthy, Energetic

  • word

    気持ち

    Meaning

    Feeling

  • word

    病気

    Meaning

    Illness

  • word

    気に入る

    Meaning

    Like

  • word

    気付く

    Meaning

    Notice

  • word

    気分

    Meaning

    Mood

  • word

    天気予報

    Meaning

    Weather forecast

  • word

    人気

    Meaning

    Popularity

  • word

    空気

    Meaning

    Air

  • word

    雰囲気

    Meaning

    Atmosphere

  • word

    気を付ける

    Meaning

    Take care, Beware

  • word

    電気

    Meaning

    Electricity

  • word

    気力

    Meaning

    Energy, Willpower

  • word

    気味

    Meaning

    Feeling, Tendency

  • word

    寒気

    Meaning

    Chill

  • word

    気軽

    Meaning

    Casual

  • word

    景気

    Meaning

    Economy, Mood

  • word

    気配

    Meaning

    Presence, Sign

  • word

    一気

    Meaning

    All at once

  • word

    気楽

    Meaning

    Carefree

  • word

    勇気

    Meaning

    Courage

  • word

    気象

    Meaning

    Weather

  • word

    湿気

    Meaning

    Humidity

  • word

    意気

    Meaning

    Spirit, Enthusiasm

  • word

    気圧

    Meaning

    Pressure

  • word

    高気圧

    Meaning

    High pressure

  • word

    気絶

    Meaning

    Fainting

  • word

    天気

    Meaning

    Weather

  • word

    本気

    Meaning

    Serious

  • word

    浮気

    Meaning

    Affair

  • word

    強気

    Meaning

    Confident, Bullish

  • word

    弱気

    Meaning

    Timid

  • word

    遣る気

    Meaning

    Motivation

  • word

    気の毒

    Meaning

    Pitiful

  • word

    平気

    Meaning

    Fine, Unfazed

  • word

    不景気

    Meaning

    Recession

  • word

    気温

    Meaning

    Temperature

  • word

    気候

    Meaning

    Climate

  • word

    低気圧

    Meaning

    Low pressure

  • word

    湯気

    Meaning

    Steam

  • word

    無邪気

    Meaning

    Innocent

Learn the Word 生意気

Let's make sure you fully understand this word.

What does 'Namaiki' (生意気) mean?

'Namaiki' means 'Cheeky' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.