1.
shyness with strangers; being uncomfortable around unfamiliar people
The tendency to feel shy, nervous, or uncomfortable when meeting new people. Common in both children and adults.
Forms
人 (person) + 見知り (recognizing by sight) - literally 'knowing people by their faces,' hence discomfort with faces one does not know.
Common patterns
- 人見知りする (verb form: to be shy with strangers)
- 人見知りが激しい / ひどい (to be very shy)
- 人見知りをする (to show shyness around strangers)
- 人見知りな + noun (as a na-adjective: 人見知りな性格, a shy disposition)
Usage
In Japan, 人見知り is often mentioned as a personality trait, especially when explaining social difficulties, and adults commonly use it about themselves. It is a mild, non-clinical word: it describes initial awkwardness with new people, not a disorder. For infants, 人見知り typically begins around 6-8 months and is treated as a normal stage of development.
Related Words
Compare:
陰キャ (introvert, loner (slang))
Related:
恥ずかしがり屋 (shy person)
Compare:
場見知り (shy in unfamiliar places)
Compare:
シャイ (shy)
Compare:
あがり症 (stage fright)
Compare:
対人恐怖 (social anxiety)