JLPT N3 grammar
〜気味 — Meaning & Examples
A touch of / a slight sign of — a mild degree happening now, noun/stem + 気味. 疲れ気味 = a bit tired. Not necessarily repeated.
〜気味 — A Slight Sign, Right Now
〜気味（ぎみ）= a touch of / a slight sign of — a mild degree of something happening now, not a repeated pattern.
Formation: noun or ます-stem + 気味
風邪気味なので、今日は早く帰ります。
= I'm feeling a bit under the weather, so I'll head home early today.
最近、疲れ気味です。
= I've been feeling a bit tired lately.
太り気味なので、運動を始めました。
= I've put on a bit of weight, so I started exercising.
がち vs 気味 — the core difference:
忘れがち = tends to forget (a repeated pattern across many occasions)
疲れ気味 = a bit tired (one current, mild state — not necessarily repeated)
学校に遅刻しがちな学生 = a student who often shows up late (a repeated behaviour)
最近、太り気味だ = I've gained a bit of weight lately (one ongoing but singular condition)
Neither is negative in tone by itself — but both almost always describe something you'd rather not have. Nobody says 幸せ気味 or 元気がち. 😅
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on 〜気味. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 「風邪気味です」 means?
- I definitely have a cold
- I never catch colds
- I'm feeling a bit under the weather right now
- I caught a cold every winter
Show answer
Answer: I'm feeling a bit under the weather right now
〜気味 = a slight, current sign of something — a mild present state, not a repeated pattern.
2. What is the key difference between 〜がち and 〜気味?
- がち = a repeated pattern over time; 気味 = one mild state right now
- No difference
- がち is only for weather; 気味 is only for health
- 気味 is more negative than がち
Show answer
Answer: がち = a repeated pattern over time; 気味 = one mild state right now
忘れがち (often forgets, a pattern) vs 疲れ気味 (a bit tired now, a current mild state).
3. 「最近、太り気味だ」 best translates to?
- I have always been overweight
- I lost weight recently
- I've put on a bit of weight lately
- I never gain weight
Show answer
Answer: I've put on a bit of weight lately
気味 marks a mild, current degree — "a bit of," not an established repeated trait.
Practise 〜気味 in the free app
This point is part of the “📐 Tendency and Proportion — がち・気味・わりに・にしては” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N3 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N3 grammar points
From the same lesson: 📐 Tendency and Proportion — がち・気味・わりに・にしては
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜気味 mean?
A touch of / a slight sign of — a mild degree happening now, noun/stem + 気味. 疲れ気味 = a bit tired. Not necessarily repeated.
Is 〜気味 on the JLPT N3 test?
〜気味 is taught in the JLPT N3 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “📐 Tendency and Proportion — がち・気味・わりに・にしては”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜気味?
Open the “📐 Tendency and Proportion — がち・気味・わりに・にしては” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N3 mock exams, with no ads.