お人好(ひとよ)し

The nuance ranges from warm affection to gentle criticism depending on context. When used about someone you care about, it often carries a tone of "too kind for their own good." When used more critically, it implies the person is naive or a pushover. Composed of the honorific お + 人(ひと) (person) + 好(よ)し (good-natured).

Usage

Can function as a noun (「お人好(ひとよ)しだ」) or as a modifier with の (「お人好(ひとよ)しの性格(せいかく)」). Often used with だから to explain why someone gets taken advantage of.

Common collocations

• お人好(ひとよ)しな性格(せいかく): a too-nice personality
• お人好(ひとよ)しにも程(ほど)がある: there's a limit to being too nice
• お人好(ひとよ)しだと損(そん)をする: being too nice will cost you

Similar words

• 人(ひと)がいい: good-natured — a neutral description without the "too much" nuance
• お人好(ひとよ)し is stronger, implying naivety
• 甘(あま)い: lenient; soft — describes someone who is too easy on others
• 世間知(せけんし)らず: naive about the world — more about lacking worldly experience