息苦(いきぐる)しい

いきぐるしい
i-adjective
suffocating, stifling, oppressive
descriptive
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present息苦(いきぐる)しい息苦(いきぐる)しくない
Past息苦(いきぐる)しかった息苦(いきぐる)しくなかった
て form息苦(いきぐる)しくて息苦(いきぐる)しくなくて
Adverbial息苦(いきぐる)しく—
Conditional ば息苦(いきぐる)しければ息苦(いきぐる)しくなければ
Conditional たら息苦(いきぐる)しかったら息苦(いきぐる)しくなかったら
1. hard to breathe, suffocating, stifling
Physically difficult to breathe due to heat, humidity, poor air, or physical condition.
部屋(へや)が暑(あつ)くて息苦(いきぐる)しい。
The room is so hot it's hard to breathe.
走(はし)った後(あと)で息苦(いきぐる)しくなった。
I became short of breath after running.
満員(まんいん)電車(でんしゃ)の中(なか)は息苦(いきぐる)しくてたまらなかった。
It was unbearably suffocating inside the packed train.
2. oppressive, stifling, uncomfortable
Figuratively suffocating due to tension, restrictive atmosphere, or emotional pressure. Describes situations or environments that feel psychologically constricting.
息苦(いきぐる)しい雰囲気(ふんいき)の会議(かいぎ)だった。
It was a meeting with a stifling atmosphere.
ルールが多(おお)すぎて息苦(いきぐる)しい職場(しょくば)だ。
It's an oppressive workplace with too many rules.
監視(かんし)されているようで、息苦(いきぐる)しさを感(かん)じる毎日(まいにち)だ。
Every day feels suffocating, as if I'm being watched.

Usage

The literal and figurative senses are equally common. The figurative sense (sense 2) is especially useful for describing oppressive social situations, rigid workplaces, and relationships where one feels constrained.

Forms

息(いき) (breath) + 苦(くる)しい (painful, difficult). Literally "breathing is painful."

Common collocations

Related Words

Compare: 窒息(ちっそく) (suffocation)
Related: 息(いき)が詰(つ)まる (to feel suffocated)
general
Added 2026.2.22 13:07 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
12500/12599_ikigurushii