真面目

• 読み: まじめ
• ローマ字: majime
• 漢字の分解: 真 (shin/ma) — true, genuine; 面 (men) — face, surface; 目 (moku/me) — eye, look
• 発音: /ma.dʑi.me/

意味

Serious; earnest; diligent. Having a sincere and hardworking character.

A na-adjective (真面目な) that is overwhelmingly positive in Japanese culture. Describes someone who is reliable, honest, and takes responsibilities seriously. Unlike in English where serious can sound stiff, 真面目 is a genuine compliment in most Japanese contexts.

例文

1. 彼はとても真面目な学生です。
2. 真面目に勉強すれば、きっと合格できる。
3. もう少し真面目に話を聞いてください。

使い方ガイド

場面: school, workplace, personality description

トーン: positive

起源と歴史

The characters 真 (ma, true) and 面目 (menmoku, face/dignity) suggest showing one's true face. The reading まじめ is an established kun-yomi, reflecting native Japanese speech patterns for this concept.

文化的背景

時代: Edo period

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal