きつい
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Base i-adjective form ending in 『い』. Describes physical tightness, closeness, or intensity of situations.
Theme
User and their friend Akira are trying on new clothes at a store and commenting on the fit.
きつい
きつい
tight, close, intense
Core Language Building BlocksCore Adjectives
Memory Hook
Imagine a pair of shoes that are too tight, making you say 'Kitsui!' in pain. 'Kitsui' sounds like 'kitschy' but feels tight and intense — think of a tight fit or intense situation.
Cultural Note
In Japan, 『きつい』 (kitsui) is often used to describe tight clothing, difficult tasks, or intense personalities. For example, a strict boss might be called 『きつい上司』 (kitsui joushi, 'intense boss').
Forms
Base: きついBase i-adjective form ending in 『い』. Describes physical tightness, closeness, or intensity of situations.
Negative: きつくないDrop 『い』 → add 『くない』 (kunai, negative) → 『きつくない』 (kitsukunai).
Past: きつかったDrop 『い』 → add 『かった』 (katta, past) → 『きつかった』 (kitsukatta).
Adverbial: きつくDrop 『い』 → add 『く』 (ku, adverbial) → 『きつく』 (kitsuku).
Comparative: よりきついComparative formed with modifier 『より』 (yori, 'more than') + base adjective.
Superlative: 一番きついSuperlative formed with 『一番』 (ichiban, 'number one / Most') + adjective.