よそよそしい

i-adjective

distant; cold; unfriendly

Conjugation

	Affirmative	Negative
Present	よそよそしい	よそよそしくない
Past	よそよそしかった	よそよそしくなかった
て form	よそよそしくて	よそよそしくなくて
Adverbial	よそよそしく	—
Conditional ば	よそよそしければ	よそよそしくなければ
Conditional たら	よそよそしかったら	よそよそしくなかったら

1. distant; cold; aloof

Behaving in a way that lacks warmth or familiarity, as if treating someone as a stranger.

最近(さいきん)、彼(かれ)の態度(たいど)がよそよそしい。

Lately, his attitude has been distant.

よそよそしい挨拶(あいさつ)を交(か)わした。

We exchanged cold greetings.

なぜかよそよそしく感(かん)じる。

For some reason, I feel there's a distance between us.

Forms

よそよそしい (plain)
よそよそしく (adverbial) - distantly, coldly
よそよそしさ (noun) - coldness, aloofness

Etymology

From よそ (elsewhere, other place/person) reduplicated + しい (adjective suffix). The reduplication emphasizes the sense of treating someone as if they were a stranger.
よそ (outside, elsewhere) × 2 + しい (adjective ending) → behaving as if the other person is an outsider

Similar words

冷(つめ)たい - cold (emotionally)
そっけない - curt, blunt
水(みず)くさい - overly formal, standoffish (especially when closer relationship is expected)
他人行儀(たにんぎょうぎ) - formal/distant manner
親(した)しい - friendly, close
フレンドリー - friendly

Related Words

Synonym: 冷(つめ)たい (cold (emotionally))

Synonym: そっけない (curt, blunt)

Compare: 親(した)しい (friendly, close)

general

Added 2026.1.20 19:31 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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