気恥ずかしい

• Reading: きはずかしい
• Romaji: kihazukashii
• Kanji breakdown: 気 (ki) — feeling, sense; 恥 (haji) — shame, embarrassment; ずかしい — adjective suffix
• Pronunciation: /ki.ha.zɯ.ka.ɕi.i/

Meaning

Embarrassing; shy; bashful; self-conscious. A mild, inward-looking embarrassment that arises from being the focus of attention or revisiting one's own past behaviour.

An i-adjective combining 気 (ki — feeling) and 恥ずかしい (hazukashii — embarrassed). Unlike blunt 恥ずかしい, 気恥ずかしい carries a softer, more introspective quality — the embarrassment of being praised, being watched, or recalling youthful actions. It is not usually shame-based but rather a gentle awkwardness.

Examples

1. 人前で褒められると、なんとなく気恥ずかしい気持ちになる。 When I'm praised in front of others, I can't help feeling a bit self-conscious.
2. 昔の日記を読み返すのは気恥ずかしくて仕方ない。 Reading my old diary entries is unbearably embarrassing.
3. 久しぶりに会う幼なじみの前では、どこか気恥ずかしかった。 Meeting a childhood friend after so long made me feel somehow bashful.

Usage Guide

Context: personal reflection, social situations, everyday conversation

Tone: self-deprecating

Origin & History

A native Japanese compound combining 気 (ki) indicating a feeling or sense, and 恥ずかしい (hazukashii) meaning 'embarrassed.' The prefix 気 adds a nuance of internal, self-directed awkwardness rather than outward shame.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal