ナイーブ

ないーぶ

na-adjective

overly sensitive; thin-skinned; delicate; inexperienced

1. overly sensitive; delicate; easily hurt; inexperienced

Describes a person who is emotionally delicate, easily wounded, or unworldly, and by extension a topic that is delicate to handle (ナイーブな問題(もんだい)). Unlike English 'naive', it is not chiefly about gullibility, and it can be sympathetic (a sensitive young person) or critical (too thin-skinned for the job).

彼(かれ)はナイーブな性格(せいかく)だ。

He has a sensitive nature.

ナイーブな問題(もんだい)なので、慎重(しんちょう)に話(はな)し合(あ)おう。

It's a delicate issue, so let's discuss it carefully.

若(わか)い頃(ころ)の私(わたし)はナイーブで、人(ひと)の言葉(ことば)にすぐ傷(きず)ついていた。

When I was young I was thin-skinned and easily hurt by what people said.

Watch out

English 'naive' means inexperienced and too trusting; Japanese ナイーブ means delicate and easily hurt, and is often said with sympathy of young people and artists. For 'gullible' or 'unworldly' Japanese uses 世間知(せけんし)らず or 素朴(そぼく); for 'innocent, pure' it uses 純粋(じゅんすい).

Common collocations

ナイーブな性格(せいかく): a sensitive nature
ナイーブな問題(もんだい): a delicate, touchy issue
ナイーブすぎる: too thin-skinned

Similar words

繊細(せんさい): delicate, sensitive — the native word, more clearly positive
純粋(じゅんすい): pure, innocent — what English 'naive' sometimes means
世間知(せけんし)らず: unworldly, ignorant of how the world works — the critical sense of 'naive'

Related Words

Compare: 繊細(せんさい) (delicate, sensitive)

Compare: 純粋(じゅんすい) (pure, innocent)

Compare: 世間知(せけんし)らず (unworldly, ignorant of how the world…)

general

Added 2026.9.10 0:49 · Revised 2026.9.10 0:54

30500/30835_naiibu