1.
dead honest; completely straightforward; utterly sincere
An intensified form of 正直 (honest), meaning someone is honest to a fault — so honest that it can sometimes work against them. The まっ prefix adds emphasis, like 'dead' or 'completely' in English.
彼は真っ正直な人だ。
He is a completely honest person.
真っ正直に答えたら怒られた。
I answered completely honestly and got scolded.
真っ正直すぎて、お世辞が言えないタイプだ。
He's so dead honest that he can't give compliments.
USAGE:
The prefix まっ (from 真) intensifies 正直. Often implies that the person's honesty is naive or excessive — they might say things that are better left unsaid. Can be used admiringly or with mild exasperation.
WORD FORMATION:
The まっ prefix is a common intensifier: 真っ白 (pure white), 真っ赤 (bright red), 真っ暗 (pitch dark), 真っ直ぐ (dead straight).
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 正直: honest — the base form, without the intensification
- 素直: obedient, docile — honest in the sense of not being defiant or contrary