デリカシー
でりかしー
noun
sensitivity, tact
1.
sensitivity, tact, delicacy
The quality of being considerate and tactful about others' feelings. In Japanese, almost always used in negative contexts — to describe a lack of sensitivity.
デリカシーがない人だ。
He's a person with no tact.
人の体重を聞くなんてデリカシーがなさすぎる。
Asking someone's weight is completely lacking in sensitivity.
もう少しデリカシーのある言い方ができないのかな。
Can't you find a more tactful way to say that?
USAGE PATTERN:
デリカシー is almost exclusively used in negative constructions in Japanese. The most common pattern is デリカシーがない (to lack tact/sensitivity). It is rarely used to praise someone's sensitivity — for that, 気遣い or 配慮 would be more natural.
ORIGIN:
From English "delicacy." The meaning has narrowed in Japanese to focus specifically on interpersonal sensitivity.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- デリカシーがない: to lack tact
- デリカシーに欠ける: to be lacking in sensitivity
- デリカシーのある: tactful, sensitive
- デリカシーのない発言: an insensitive remark