のんき

Japanese

Alternative spellings
呑気 暢気 暖気

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) の​んき [nóꜜǹkì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [nõ̞ŋʲkʲi]

Adjective

のんき • (nonki) -na (adnominal のんきな (nonki na na), adverbial のんきに (nonki ni ni))

1. optimistic, easy, easygoing, careless, carefree, relaxed, happy-go-lucky

   呑(のん)気(き)な人(ひと)

   nonki na hito

   an optimistic person

   • 1906, Natsume Sōseki, Botchan‎^[1]:

     おれの生(しょう)涯(がい)のうちでは比(ひ)較(かく)的(てき)呑(のん)気(き)な時(き)節(せつ)であった。

     Ore no shōgai no uchi de wa hikakuteki nonki na kisetsu de atta.

     It was a comparatively easygoing period in my life.

Noun

のんき • (nonki) 

1. being easygoing, carefreeness, thoughtlessness

Usage notes

• This term is often spelled in hiragana.