癖

What it means

癖 means a habitual pattern of behavior or a characteristic tendency that is usually noticeable and persists over time. It covers both positive habits and quirks, as well as less desirable tendencies, and is commonly used to describe people or objects that repeatedly exhibit a certain manner or trait.

Main meanings

• A settled way of doing something, a habitual pattern that someone repeats
• An idiosyncratic trait or quirk that distinguishes a person or thing
• A tendency that can be positive, neutral, or negative, and is often hard to change

How to use it

Used to describe a habitual behavior or trait in both people and things. In conversation it is more casual and common in daily speech; in writing it can be neutral or slightly informal. Typical constructions include 癖がある to indicate that someone has a habit or quirk, 癖になる to describe something that becomes habitual or habit forming, and 癖を直す to say that one intends to change a habit. The term can refer to both personal habits and the distinctive tendencies of objects or animals.