気(き)がかり

きがかり
noun, na-adjective
worry; concern; anxiety
emotion
1. worry; concern; unease; something weighing on one's mind
A nagging worry or concern that lingers in the mind. Describes both the feeling of unease and the matter that causes it. Milder than strong anxiety; more like something you can't stop thinking about.
ひとつ気(き)がかりなことがある。
There's one thing that's been on my mind.
息子(むすこ)の健康(けんこう)が気(き)がかりで仕方(しかた)ない。
I can't help worrying about my son's health.
出発(しゅっぱつ)前(まえ)に戸締(とじま)りをしたか気(き)がかりになって、途中(とちゅう)で引(ひ)き返(かえ)した。
I became worried about whether I had locked up before leaving and turned back midway.

Usage

気(き)がかり can be used as both a な-adjective (気(き)がかりな点(てん), a concerning point) and a noun (気(き)がかりがある, to have a concern). It describes a milder, more lingering worry than 心配(しんぱい) (worry), which is a stronger and more active feeling. 気(き)がかり suggests something nagging at the back of your mind.

Common collocations

Related Words

Synonym: 心配(しんぱい) (worry (stronger))
general
Added 2026.2.24 16:26 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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