1.
emotional; sentimental; driven by feelings rather than reason
Describes reactions, judgments, or atmospheres that are grounded in feeling. When applied to a person's response it often carries a mildly critical nuance of being overly swayed by emotion rather than thinking calmly. When applied to places or scenes it can be neutral or positive, evoking an evocative, atmospheric mood.
情緒的な反応。
An emotional reaction.
そんなに情緒的にならないで落ち着いて話そう。
Don't get so emotional — let's talk calmly.
古い街並みには、どこか情緒的な雰囲気が漂っている。
The old streetscape has a certain sentimental atmosphere about it.
Compound of 情緒 ('emotion; sentiment; atmosphere') and the adjectival suffix 〜的. The noun 情緒 also occurs in set phrases like 下町情緒 ('old-town atmosphere'), so 情緒的 can describe moods as well as feelings.
USAGE:
- Applied to people or arguments: usually mildly critical, suggesting excessive emotion — 情緒的な議論 ('an emotional argument').
- Applied to places, scenes, or works of art: often positive, suggesting evocative atmosphere — 情緒的な景色 ('an evocative landscape').
- Adverbially: 情緒的に訴える ('to appeal emotionally').
- The older/literary reading {じょうしょてき} is also heard but {じょうちょてき} is standard today.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 情緒的な反応: emotional reaction
- 情緒的な議論: emotional argument
- 情緒的な判断: judgment driven by emotion
- 情緒的な雰囲気: sentimental atmosphere
- 情緒的に{なる}: to get emotional
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 感情的: emotional — very close in meaning; when applied to people, usually stronger and more clearly negative, suggesting loss of composure.
- 理性的: rational; level-headed — common antonym when discussing people.
- 感傷的: sentimental — emphasizes nostalgia and tender emotion, often positively.
- 情熱的: passionate — stresses strength of feeling, usually positively.