Word
しつこい
Meaning in Englishinsistent, obstinate
Word context
What it means
Overly persistent and insistent, often used to describe someone who pushes for compliance or demands more attention than is reasonable.
Main meanings
- 1) annoying persistence in seeking a response or result, causing irritation
- 2) tenacious or stubborn adherence to a course of action, often despite obstacles
- 3) in social contexts, insistent or intrusive behavior, such as unwanted attention or advances
How to use it
Used mainly in casual to neutral conversations to describe behavior that oversteps social boundaries; typically negative when directed at a person; can also describe lingering phenomena in informal contexts
Variants and close terms
- 執拗な (しつような) romaji: shitsuyou na — meaning: relentless, tenacious (negative nuance)
- 粘り強い (ねばりづよい) romaji: nebarizuyoi — meaning: persistent, tenacious (often neutral to positive)
- antonym: あっさりした romaji: assari shita — meaning: light, non-persistent
Word class
adjective (i-adjective)