弱気な（よわきな、yowakina）
- fainthearted/pessimistic

The Japanese word 弱気な (よわきな) describes a state of being timid, fainthearted, or lacking confidence. It conveys a feeling of being easily discouraged or hesitant, especially in the face of challenges or adversity. It suggests a lack of courage or a tendency to give up easily. 弱気な can also imply a pessimistic outlook.

⚫︎ 弱気な発言はやめてください。 Translation: Please stop making pessimistic remarks. ⚫︎ 彼女は試験の結果に弱気な Translation: She is pessimistic about the exam results. ⚫︎ 彼はいつも弱気な］態度を取る。 Translation: He always takes a timid attitude.

You can use 弱気な to describe a person’s personality, their actions, or their emotions. It's often used when someone seems to be lacking in confidence, shows a tendency to be easily discouraged, or is afraid of failure. It can also be used to describe a general feeling or atmosphere of pessimism or uncertainty.

弱気な is written in hiragana as よわきな. The kanji form is 弱気な. There are no other ways to write this word. The okurigana is fixed.

⚫︎ 気弱な (きよわな) - timid, fainthearted ⚫︎ 臆病な (おくびょうな) - cowardly, timid ⚫︎ 消極的な (しょうきょくてきな) - passive, negative ⚫︎ 自信がない (じしんがない) - lacks confidence ⚫︎ 気が弱い (きがよわい) - weak-willed

⚫︎ 強気な (つよきな) - confident, assertive ⚫︎ 積極的な (せっきょくてきな) - active, positive ⚫︎ 勇敢な (ゆうかんな) - brave, courageous ⚫︎ 大胆な (だいたんな) - bold, daring ⚫︎ 自信がある (じしんがある) - has confidence

彼は試合に負けて、弱気な］になってしまった。 ・Translation: He became discouraged after losing the game. ・Explanation: This sentence describes how someone felt after experiencing a failure, becoming timid.

弱気な］態度では、成功は難しい。 ・Translation: Success is difficult with a timid attitude. ・Explanation: This sentence emphasizes that a lack of confidence can hinder achievement.

The word 弱気な is formed from the adjective 弱い (よわい), meaning "weak," and 気 (き), meaning "spirit," "mind," or "mood". The な is the adjectival suffix. Therefore, the word literally means "weak-spirited" or "weak-minded," which accurately reflects its meaning.