気に入る

• Reading: きにいる
• Romaji: ki ni iru
• Kanji breakdown: 気 (ki) — feeling, mood; 入 (iru) — enter
• Pronunciation: /ki.ni.i.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To like; to be pleased with. Finding something agreeable or to one's taste.

A Group 1 (godan) compound verb expression. The subject is the thing liked, and the person who likes it is marked with の or は (この店が気に入った). Different from 好き in that it implies a fresh discovery of liking, while 好き is a general state. The past tense 気に入った is especially common, meaning 'I've taken a liking to it.'

Examples

1. この新しいカフェがとても気に入った。 I really like this new café.
2. 彼にプレゼントを気に入ってもらえるか心配だ。 I'm worried whether he'll like the present.
3. 部屋の雰囲気が気に入って引っ越しを決めた。 I liked the atmosphere of the room so much that I decided to move in.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, shopping, personal preference

Tone: positive

Origin & History

Compound of 気 (ki, feeling/mood), に (ni, into), and 入る (iru, to enter). Literally 'enters one's feelings' — something that slips into your heart and pleases you.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal