せこい
せこい
i-adjective
stingy; petty; cheap
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | せこい | せこくない |
| Past | せこかった | せこくなかった |
| て form | せこくて | せこくなくて |
| Adverbial | せこく | — |
| Conditional ば | せこければ | せこくなければ |
| Conditional たら | せこかったら | せこくなかったら |
1.
stingy; miserly; tight-fisted
Reluctant to spend money, even in situations where spending would be normal or expected.
あの人はせこい。
That person is stingy.
せこいことを言うな。
Don't be so cheap.
彼はせこいから割り勘でも1円単位まで計算する。
He's so stingy that even when splitting the bill, he calculates down to the last yen.
2.
petty; small-minded; cheap
Engaging in petty behavior to gain small advantages, often in ways that are seen as underhanded or beneath one's dignity.
せこい手段で勝っても嬉しくない。
Winning through petty means doesn't make me happy.
そんなせこいこと言わないでよ。
Don't be so petty about it.
ポイントを少しでも多くもらおうと、せこい買い方をしてしまう。
I end up shopping in petty ways to get even a few more reward points.
FORMS:
- せこい (plain)
- せこく (adverbial)
- せこさ (noun) - stinginess, pettiness
REGISTER:
Informal/colloquial. Can be mildly insulting when used to describe someone directly.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- けち - stingy, miserly (stronger criticism)
- 貧乏くさい - looking poor, cheap
- こすい - cunning, crafty (regional/colloquial)
- みみっちい - petty, stingy
CONTRAST:
- 気前がいい - generous
- 太っ腹 - generous, big-hearted
USAGE NOTES:
Originally from Kansai dialect but now widely used throughout Japan. Often used to criticize not just financial stinginess but also petty behavior in general.
Related Words
Synonym:
けち (stingy (stronger))