1.
good-natured person; pushover; sucker; softy
A person who is excessively kind and trusting, often to the point of being naive or easily taken advantage of. Can be used affectionately or critically.
彼はお人好しだから断れない。
He's too nice to refuse.
そんなお人好しだと騙されるよ。
If you're that gullible, you'll get tricked.
母はお人好しで、頼まれると何でも引き受けてしまう。
My mother is such a pushover that she takes on anything she's asked to do.
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 (person) + 好し (good-natured).
USAGE:
Can function as a noun (「お人好しだ」) or as a modifier with の (「お人好しの性格」). Often used with だから to explain why someone gets taken advantage of.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- お人好しな性格: a too-nice personality
- お人好しにも程がある: there's a limit to being too nice
- お人好しだと損をする: being too nice will cost you
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 人がいい: good-natured — a neutral description without the "too much" nuance
- お人好し is stronger, implying naivety
- 甘い: lenient; soft — describes someone who is too easy on others
- 世間知らず: naive about the world — more about lacking worldly experience