くすぐったい

くすぐったい
i-adjective
ticklish; embarrassing
descriptive
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Presentくすぐったいくすぐったくない
Pastくすぐったかったくすぐったくなかった
て formくすぐったくてくすぐったくなくて
Adverbialくすぐったく
Conditional ばくすぐったければくすぐったくなければ
Conditional たらくすぐったかったらくすぐったくなかったら
1. ticklish
The physical sensation of being tickled or being sensitive to touch in a way that makes one want to squirm or laugh.
(あし)(うら)くすぐったい。
The soles of my feet are ticklish.
くすぐったいからやめて
Stop it, that tickles!
My back is so ticklish I can't stay still.
2. embarrassing; making one feel bashful
A figurative sense describing the uncomfortable, squirming feeling when receiving excessive praise or flattery.
Being praised that much is embarrassing.
天才(てんさい)だ」なんて()われる、くすぐったい気持(きも)なる
Being called a genius makes me feel bashful.
She held my hand in public, and I felt kind of bashful about it.

Forms

Also written (くすぐ)ったい in kanji, though the hiragana form is far more common. Sometimes shortened to くすぐったい → こそばゆい in some dialects.

Common collocations

  • くすぐったい(かん) (a ticklish feeling)
  • くすぐったい気持(きも)ち (an embarrassing/bashful feeling)
  • くすぐったくて(わら) (to laugh because it tickles)

Related words

  • くすぐる: to tickle — the verb form
  • こそばゆい: ticklish; embarrassing — a synonym, slightly more literary
  • むずがゆい: itchy; uncomfortable — similar squirming sensation but from irritation

Related Words