Japanese word

馴れ馴れしい

Pronunciation

Romajinarenareshii

Meaning

i-adjectiveoverfamiliar

Example

その店員は客に馴れ馴れしいです。so no ten in wa kyaku ni na re na re shi i de su

That clerk is overfamiliar with customers.

More examples

その客の馴れ馴れしい話し方に、店員は困っています。so no kyaku no na re na re shi i hana shi kata ni ten in wa koma tte i ma su

The clerk is uncomfortable with the customer's overfamiliar way of speaking.

Core concept

Conveys a friendly manner that ignores the social distance appropriate to the relationship.

Common phrases

馴れ馴れしく話すna re na re shi ku hana su
speak too familiarly
馴れ馴れしい態度na re na re shi i tai do
overfamiliar attitude
馴れ馴れしい口調na re na re shi i ku chō
overfamiliar tone

Similar words

親しいshitashii: Close and familiar through a personal relationship.
気安いkiyashii: Easy and informal to interact with, without stiffness.

Definition in Japanese

親しくない相手に、親しい間柄のように遠慮なく接するさま。shita shi ku na i ai te ni shita shi i aida gara no yō ni en ryo na ku ses su ru sa ma

Word origin

馴れ馴れしい (narenareshii, "overfamiliar") is a native Japanese adjective based on 馴れる (nareru, "to become familiar"), with repeated wording that suggests familiarity carried too far.

Usage tips

In a shop or workplace, the word can mark a friendly tone that crosses a boundary, making it useful for describing conduct that is too casual for the relationship.

Other meanings

cheekyi-adjective

Opposites

よそよそしいyosoyososhiidistanti-adjective

Related words

馴れ馴れしさnarenareshisaoverfamiliaritynoun