More than ridiculeSourced
Japan · Japanese meaning
Kataharaitai can also express embarrassment or discomfort
Japanese kataharaitai can dismiss someone’s behaviour as ridiculous. The dictionary also gives senses of feeling distressed while watching something, or being embarrassed and uneasy. Reading older passages as ridicule alone can miss their emotional meaning.
One familiar expression can point to quite different feelings.
Summary / translation: Unbubly · CC BY-SA 4.0
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かたはらいたい · Wikimedia contributors
Adapted, summarized and translated from the source. Adapted text is also available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Reviewed: 2026-10-10