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Japanese · Joy & Triumph

気持ちいい

kimochii

kee-mo-CHEE · /kimotɕiː/

Feels so good / that's the stuff

2/5 Bar-safe

coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances

Literally

"good feeling"

Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.

How to use it

"Feels good" — a hot spring, a breeze, a back scratch, a nap. Wholly innocent in daily life (an onsen is "kimochii~"), but the same phrase in an intimate context is exactly what it sounds like, so read the room. Its opposite, kimochi-warui (feels bad/gross), is the parent of the insult kimoi.

Heard in the wild

温泉、最高に気持ちいい。

This hot spring feels unbelievably good.

Where it lands

Nationwide

Quick answers

What does "気持ちいい" mean?
In Japanese, "気持ちいい" means "Feels so good / that's the stuff". Literally it's "good feeling". "Feels good" — a hot spring, a breeze, a back scratch, a nap. Wholly innocent in daily life (an onsen is "kimochii~"), but the same phrase in an intimate context is exactly what it sounds like, so read the room. Its opposite, kimochi-warui (feels bad/gross), is the parent of the insult kimoi.
Is "気持ちいい" offensive?
It's on the mild end — 2/5 (Bar-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances.
How do you pronounce "気持ちいい"?
Say it "kee-mo-CHEE" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: kimotɕiː.

Related in Japanese

やばい yabai yah-BYE Insane / crazy / no way — good OR bad, from context やった yatta YAHT-tah Yes! / I did it! / We won! 最高 saikō sigh-KOH The best! / awesome / peak うまい umai / umee oo-MYE Delicious! / So good! / Nailed it! ブス busu BOO-soo Ugly woman / dog キモい kimoi KEE-moy Gross / creepy / disgusting

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