ぎくしゃく

ぎくしゃく
adverb
awkwardly; stiffly; jerkily
descriptive
1. awkwardly; stiffly; jerkily; strained
Describes movements or relationships that are not smooth — stiff, jerky, or strained. Most often used as ぎくしゃくする.
関係(かんけい)ぎくしゃくする
The relationship becomes strained.
I was nervous, and my movements became stiff.
The conversation between the two of them was somehow awkward.
After the quarrel, the atmosphere in the family is strained.

A mimetic adverb (gitaigo) most often used as ぎくしゃくする. It describes two related things: physical movements that are stiff and not fluid, and human relationships that have become awkward or strained.

Common patterns

Similar words

  • ぎこちない: awkward, clumsy — an i-adjective emphasizing unnaturalness of movement or manner