せっかち

na-adjective, noun

impatient; hasty; restless

1. impatient; hasty; restless

Unable to wait calmly; tending to rush or hurry. Describes someone who wants things done quickly and gets frustrated by delays.

彼(かれ)はせっかちで、エレベーターを待(ま)てずに階段(かいだん)を使(つか)う。

He's impatient and takes the stairs because he can't wait for the elevator.

せっかちな性格(せいかく)を直(なお)したい。

I want to fix my impatient nature.

そんなにせっかちにならないで。まだ時間(じかん)はある。

Don't be so impatient. We still have time.

Usage

せっかちな人(ひと) / せっかちな性格(せいかく) (an impatient person / personality)
せっかちになる (to get impatient)
せっかちな食(た)べ方(かた) (eating hastily)

Mildly negative — it suggests someone who rushes unnecessarily or cannot relax. Often used self-deprecatingly about oneself, and it is not rude about a close friend, but avoid applying it to a superior.

Etymology

From 急(せ)く (an older verb meaning to hurry, related to 急(いそ)ぐ) plus the suffix 〜かち (tendency toward). Literally "a tendency to rush."

Similar words

せっかち ↔ のんびり (impatient ↔ easygoing, relaxed)
せっかち ↔ 気長(きなが) (impatient ↔ patient)

Related words

慌(あわ)てる (to panic, to rush): a one-time reaction, not a standing trait
そそっかしい (careless): rushing that produces mistakes

Related Words

Antonym: のんびり (easygoing)

Antonym: 気長(きなが) (patient)

Related: そそっかしい (careless, scatterbrained)

Related: 慌(あわ)てる (to panic, to rush)

general

Added 2026.1.18 12:53 · Revised 2026.9.2 12:02

06500/06646_sekkachi