保守的な

• Reading: ほしゅてきな
• Romaji: hoshutekina
• Kanji breakdown: 保 (ho) — preserve; 守 (shu) — guard; 的 (teki) — -istic, -al
• Pronunciation: /ho.ɕɯ.te.ki.na/

Meaning

Conservative; traditional-minded. Tending to resist change and prefer established ways.

A na-adjective formed from 保守 (conservatism) + 的 (teki, -istic/-al) + な. Describes people, organisations, attitudes, or regions that favour tradition over innovation. Can be neutral or slightly negative depending on context. Often used with nouns like 考え (thinking), 地域 (region), 姿勢 (attitude), or 社会 (society).

Examples

1. 祖父母の世代はかなり保守的な価値観を持っている。 The grandparents' generation holds fairly conservative values.
2. この会社は保守的な社風で新しい提案が通りにくい。 This company has a conservative corporate culture where new proposals are hard to get approved.
3. 保守的な地域では変化がゆっくり進む傾向がある。 In conservative areas, change tends to happen slowly.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, social commentary, workplace culture, generational discussion

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 保守 (hoshu, conservatism) + 的 (teki, adjectival suffix equivalent to English '-istic' or '-al') + な (na-adjective particle). A standard Sino-Japanese adjective formation pattern.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal