さりげない
さりげない
i-adjective
casual; nonchalant; unobtrusive
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | さりげない | さりげなくない |
| Past | さりげなかった | さりげなくなかった |
| て form | さりげなくて | さりげなくなくて |
| Adverbial | さりげなく | — |
| Conditional ば | さりげなければ | さりげなくなければ |
| Conditional たら | さりげなかったら | さりげなくなかったら |
1.
casual; nonchalant; natural
Appearing natural or effortless, without showing obvious intent or self-consciousness.
さりげなく声をかけた。
I casually spoke to them.
彼はさりげなく彼女を助けた。
He casually helped her.
さりげない会話の中で情報を集めた。
I gathered information through casual conversation.
2.
subtle; unobtrusive; discreet
Done in a way that doesn't draw attention, often with careful consideration hidden beneath the surface.
さりげない優しさに気づいた。
I noticed the subtle kindness.
さりげない気配りがうれしかった。
I was happy about the subtle thoughtfulness.
彼女はさりげない仕草で周りの人を和ませるのが上手だ。
She is good at putting those around her at ease with unobtrusive gestures.
FORMS:
- さりげない (plain)
- さりげなく (adverbial) - casually, unobtrusively
- さりげなさ (noun) - casualness, subtlety
ETYMOLOGY:
From 然り (さり, "being so") + 気 (け, "air, manner") + ない (negative). Literally "without seeming so," hence "without showing intent."
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- さりげない優しさ - understated kindness
- さりげない気配り - subtle consideration
- さりげない会話 - casual conversation
- さりげない仕草 - casual gesture
- さりげないおしゃれ - effortless style
USAGE NOTES:
This word often carries positive connotations, implying someone is being thoughtful or helpful without making a show of it. The adverbial form さりげなく is very common.