悩ましい

• 読み: なやましい
• ローマ字: nayamashii
• 漢字の分解: 悩 (naya/nō) — worry, suffer, be troubled
• 発音: /na.ja.ma.ɕi.i/

意味

Seductive; enchanting; sensually alluring. Also: vexing; troublesome; agonising.

An i-adjective with two distinct meanings: (1) sensually alluring or provocative — 悩ましい声 (a seductive voice), 悩ましいポーズ (an alluring pose); and (2) vexing or agonising — 悩ましい問題 (a vexing problem). The first meaning derives from the idea of being 'troubled' by desire. Context determines which sense is intended. The seductive meaning is more literary, while the 'troublesome' meaning appears in everyday discussion of difficult decisions.

例文

1. 彼女の悩ましい表情に目が離せなかった。
2. どちらを選ぶべきか悩ましい問題だ。
3. 悩ましい香りが部屋に漂っていた。

使い方ガイド

場面: literature, decision-making, description

トーン: suggestive

起源と歴史

From native Japanese: 悩む (nayamu, to worry/suffer) + ましい (mashii, adjective-forming suffix). Originally meant 'causing distress or anguish,' which branched into both 'vexing' and 'seductively troubling' — the latter describing beauty that agitates the senses.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: Adults

社会的背景: Educated