(きち)

きち
noun
wit, quick-wittedness
1. wit, quick-wittedness, ingenuity
The ability to respond cleverly and appropriately in the moment, especially in conversation.
機知(きち)()んだ返答(へんとう)だ。
That's a witty reply.
彼女(かのじょ)機知(きち)()んだ(ひと)だ。
She is a witty person.
司会者(しかいしゃ)機知(きち)()んだトークで会場(かいじょう)()()がった。
The venue was livened up by the host's witty talk.

A somewhat literary or formal word for wit and quick thinking. Almost always appears in the set phrase 機知(きち)()む (to be rich in wit).

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 機知(きち)()む — to be witty, to be full of wit
  • 機知(きち)()んだ — witty (as modifier)
  • 機知(きち)()んだ会話(かいわ) — witty conversation
  • 機知(きち)()んだスピーチ — a witty speech

USAGE:
This word is rarely used outside the set phrase 機知(きち)()む/()んだ. It is more common in written language, book reviews, and formal descriptions of people.

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • ユーモア — humor (loanword, broader)
  • ウィット — wit (loanword, same meaning)
  • 頓知(とんち) — clever response, quick thinking (often associated with riddles and folk tales)