生意気 (namaiki) means “cheeky,” “impertinent,” or “presumptuous.” It often criticizes someone thought to be acting above their experience or standing, especially a younger person or junior. It can be teasing or harsh. 生意気ですが is a self-effacing lead-in before offering an opinion.
also namaiki / namaiki na / 生意気を言う
cheeky · presumptuous · too big for your boots
Sentences
生意気なことを言う
plain。
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生意気な
なまいきな
cheeky; out of turn
attributive form of 生意気 · な before a noun
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こと
こと
the act of; the fact of
noun · turns the verb in front into a noun
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を
を
marks the direct object
particle · pronounced お
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言う
いう ［0］
say
verb · read いう, often pronounced ゆう
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な
な
don't
particle · the blunt prohibition, on plain form
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Don't talk out of turn.
生意気だ · a verdict
plain。
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あの
あの
that — over there, known to both of us
demonstrative · あの for someone away from both speakers
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子
こ ［0］
kid; child
noun · also used of young adults, especially juniors
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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生意気
なまいき ［0］
cheeky; too big for their boots
な-adjective in predicate position
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だ
だ
plain copula
copula · です politely
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That kid is cheeky.
生意気ですが · the hedge
polite、。
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生意気
なまいき ［0］
presumptuous of me
な-adjective · turned on the speaker as a pre-apology
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ですが
ですが
it may be, but
polite copula ＋ が · the standard softening pivot
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一つ
ひとつ ［2］
one thing
counter · the general counter, here counting a remark
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よろしい
よろしい
all right; permissible
い-adjective · the formal いい, used when asking permission
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でしょうか
でしょうか
would it be?
でしょう ＋ か · softer than ですか because it only guesses
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This may be out of turn, but may I say one thing?
生意気な態度
plain past。
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後輩
こうはい ［0］
a junior; someone below you
noun · the opposite of 先輩, and defined by when you joined
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に
に
by — the one who did it
particle · marks the agent in a passive
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生意気な
なまいきな
cheeky
attributive form · describing the 態度 that follows
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態度
たいど ［1］
attitude; manner
noun · how you carry yourself, visible to others
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を
を
marks the direct object
particle · pronounced お
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取られた
とられた
was taken — at me
past passive of 取る · 態度を取る is the set phrase
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I got attitude from a junior colleague.
生意気 with くせに
plain。
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新人
しんじん ［0］
a new hire; a rookie
noun · 新 new ＋ 人 person
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の
の
links noun to noun
particle · A の B = B belonging to A
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くせに
くせに
even though they are only
conjunction · concessive, and always disapproving
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生意気
なまいき ［0］
cheeky
な-adjective · the gap between rank and behaviour is the whole point
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だ
だ
plain copula
copula · a flat verdict
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Cheeky, for someone who just started.
生意気 said fondly
plain、。
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ちょっと
ちょっと
a bit
adverb · here it defuses the criticism that follows
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生意気
なまいき ［0］
cheeky
な-adjective · with ちょっと and だけど, this is nearly a compliment
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だけど
だけど
but
だ ＋ けど · the casual pivot, and it flips the verdict
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面白い
おもしろい ［4］
interesting; fun
い-adjective · interesting and funny at once
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子
こ ［0］
kid
noun · warm when used of a junior you like
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だ
だ
plain copula
copula · closes the judgement
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A bit cheeky, but an interesting kid.
Forms
生意気な＋Noun
生意気な態度. The commonest shape. What follows is almost always 態度, 口, こと or a person — the places cheek shows.
Person ＋ は＋生意気だ
あの子は生意気だ. A verdict on the person. Polite 生意気です, though saying it politely does not make it a polite thing to say.
生意気＋を言う
生意気を言うな. The cheek becomes the object: literally 'don't speak impertinence'. 生意気言うな with the を dropped is the spoken version.
生意気ですが＋your opinion
生意気ですが、一つよろしいですか. Turned on yourself as a hedge — you name the offence before committing it, which is what makes it acceptable.
Meaning
生意気 is a charge about position. The behaviour itself might be perfectly fine coming from someone else; what makes it 生意気 is that this particular person has not earned the right to it yet. That is why it is aimed downward — at children, juniors, new hires — and why calling a superior 生意気 would be a marked accusation.
失礼 is a breach of manners; 生意気 is a breach of rank. 失礼 works in every direction and covers anything impolite, including your own small apologies — 失礼します. 生意気 typically points down the hierarchy, though 生意気ですが can soften your own opinion.
偉そう is about the act, not the rank. It means acting important — the swagger, the lecturing tone — and you can be 偉そう at any age or level, including at the top. 生意気 needs the gap: it is 偉そう from someone who is not.
It is not always an insult. Said about a child or a favourite junior, with the right tone, 生意気 is close to affectionate — impressed, even. 生意気だけど面白い, cheeky but interesting. Said flat, about an adult, in a workplace, it is a real complaint about someone who does not know their place.
Inside the word
The same 生 as 生魚 raw fish and 生ビール draught beer, and it carries a second sense of half-done: 生半可 half-baked, 生煮え undercooked. In 生意気 it is the person who is not finished — unripe, not yet what they are behaving like.
意 is intent and 気 is spirit or energy, so 意気 is the force behind what you do. On its own it is a good thing: 意気込み enthusiasm, 意気投合 hitting it off, 意気消沈 losing heart.
Neither half is negative — spirit is admirable and rawness is neutral. It is the combination that indicts: spirit in someone not yet entitled to it. That is also why the word never points upward. There is no gap to complain about when the person really does outrank you.
Watch out
You cannot call a senior or a client 生意気 — the word presupposes that you outrank them. Doing it anyway is not just rude, it reads as absurd. For someone above you, 失礼 or 偉そう are the words that exist.
Plenty of 生意気 behaviour is perfectly polite in form: a well-argued objection from a new hire, a child using an adult's reasoning. The complaint is not about manners, it is about who gets to talk that way. 失礼 is the word for actual bad manners.
About a child or a junior you are fond of, 生意気だな with a laugh is close to “look at you.” Take every 生意気 as hostile and you will misread a lot of anime, a lot of family talk, and most of what a coach says to a promising player.
Also asked
Cheeky, impertinent, presumptuous — acting with more confidence than your position gives you. 生 is raw or unripe and 意気 is spirit, so the word literally accuses someone of nerve they have not earned yet.
Usually, but not always. Flat, about an adult colleague, it is a real complaint that they do not know their place. Said with a laugh about a child or a junior you like — 生意気だな — it is affectionate and even a little impressed.
失礼 is bad manners and works in any direction, including about yourself. 生意気 is a breach of rank and only points downward. Behaviour can easily be one without the other: a polite objection from a newcomer is 生意気 and not 失礼 at all.
Don't talk out of turn; don't give me lip. It treats the cheek itself as the thing being said, which English cannot copy directly. In speech the を usually drops: 生意気言うな.
Yes, as a hedge before disagreeing with someone senior: 生意気ですが or 生意気なようですが — this may be presumptuous of me, but. Naming the offence in advance is what buys you permission to commit it.
なまいき, flat across the word. Note that 生 takes its kun reading なま here while 意気 keeps its on reading — a mixed compound, which is part of why it is an N1 word rather than a predictable one.
References
Kotobank: 生意気 — Defines presumptuous behavior beyond one’s age or ability.
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