意地(いじ)

いじ
noun
stubbornness, willfulness, pride
emotion
See also: 維持(いじ) (maintenance)
1. stubbornness, obstinacy
A determined or persistent attitude, refusing to give in.
意地(いじ)を張(は)らないで。
Don't be so stubborn.
Common expression
意地(いじ)でも諦(あきら)めない。
I won't give up no matter what.
2. pride, willfulness
A sense of self-respect that prevents yielding to others.
男(おとこ)の意地(いじ)を見(み)せた。
He showed a man's pride.
意地(いじ)にかけても負(ま)けたくない。
I don't want to lose, as a matter of pride.
選手(せんしゅ)たちは意地(いじ)のぶつかり合(あ)いで最後(さいご)まで戦(たたか)った。
The players fought to the end in a clash of pride.
3. disposition, nature
One's basic character or temperament.
意地(いじ)悪(わる)なことを言(い)う。
To say mean things.
意地(いじ)の悪(わる)い人(ひと)だ。
He is a mean-spirited person.
あの子(こ)は食(く)い意地(いじ)が張(は)っている。
That child is greedy for food.
食(く)い意地(いじ) = greediness for food
意地(いじ)の悪(わる)い質問(しつもん)をされて、答(こた)えに困(こま)った。
I was asked a spiteful question and struggled to answer.

意地(いじ) is the will not to back down: as stubbornness when it is unreasonable, as pride when it keeps someone going. In 意地(いじ)が悪(わる)い and 食(く)い意地(いじ) it names a person's disposition.

Common patterns

Compounds

Watch out

  • Different from 維持(いじ) (maintenance) - same reading, different kanji
general
Added 2026.1.9 21:15 · Revised 2026.10.11 3:21
01500/01786_iji