Shock and nerves
Idioms, Stage 2chunk 13 of 21Feelings & temper
Creepy, scary or overwhelming moments, and bracing yourself for them.
- kimi ga waruicreepy, gives you the creepsliterally “the feeling is bad”
- kokoro no junbi ga dekirube emotionally readyliterally “the heart's preparations are done”
- shinzou ni waruigave me a scare, too nerve-rackingliterally “bad for the heart”
- atama ga masshiro ni naruyour mind goes blankliterally “the head goes pure white”
Mix-ups kimi ga warui (creepy) vs shinzou ni warui (gave me a scare): both '... warui'.
kimi ga warui
polite kimi ga warui desu
“the feeling is bad”
creepy, gives you the creeps
In English: give someone the creeps
For anything eerie or unsettling, like a silent house, a stranger staring or a fixed smile. You'll mostly hear kimi warui (no ga). Kimochi warui is broader (gross, nauseating), while kimi ga warui only means eerie. Same sound as kimi ga warui 'it's your fault' (kimi = you), but the creepy one is said about a thing or person, not to someone.
Single-word alternative: bukimi (eerie).
nanka kono heya, kimi warui ne.
This room is kind of creepy.
なんかこの部屋、気味悪いね。
kono heya, chotto kimi ga warui desu ne.
This room is a bit creepy, isn't it?
この部屋、ちょっと気味が悪いですね。
Written 気味が悪い · きみがわるいHeard 238× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside shinzou ni waruiMain list warui (Stage 1), kowai (Stage 4)
kokoro no junbi ga dekiru
polite kokoro no junbi ga dekimasu
“the heart's preparations are done”
be emotionally ready
Mostly negative, when news or a big moment comes too fast: mada kokoro no junbi ga dekitenai. Kokoro no junbi wa ii? asks if someone is ready to hear something. Plain junbi ga dekiru is being ready in practical terms.
Also: kokoro no junbi o suru (brace yourself).
chotto matte, mada kokoro no junbi ga dekitenai.
Wait, I'm not ready for this yet.
ちょっと待って、まだ心の準備ができてない。
kyuu ni iwarete mo, mada kokoro no junbi ga dekitenai n desu.
This is so sudden. I'm just not ready for it yet.
急に言われても、まだ心の準備ができてないんです。
Written 心の準備ができる · こころのじゅんびができるHeard 92× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesMain list dekiru (Stage 1), mada (Stage 1), -teru (Stage 1)
shinzou ni warui
polite shinzou ni warui desu
“bad for the heart”
gave me a scare, too nerve-racking
In English: nearly give someone a heart attack
A joking complaint after a scare, or about a nail-biting game or film: bikkuri shita, shinzou ni warui yo. It isn't a statement about health here.
kyuu ni dete konaide yo, shinzou ni warui.
Don't jump out like that, you nearly gave me a heart attack.
急に出てこないでよ、心臓に悪い。
mou, shinzou ni warui desu yo.
Goodness, you nearly gave me a heart attack.
もう、心臓に悪いですよ。
Written 心臓に悪い · しんぞうにわるいHeard 22× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside kimi ga waruiMain list warui (Stage 1), bikkuri shita (Stage 2)
atama ga masshiro ni naru
polite atama ga masshiro ni narimasu
“the head goes pure white”
your mind goes blank
In English: one's mind goes blank
How people describe freezing up from nerves or shock in an exam, speech or interview, nearly always in the past: kinchou shite atama ga masshiro ni natta. You'll also hear atama no naka ga masshiro.
kinchou shite atama masshiro ni natta.
I got so nervous my mind went blank.
緊張して頭真っ白になった。
kinchou shite atama ga masshiro ni narimashita.
I was so nervous my mind went blank.
緊張して頭が真っ白になりました。
Written 頭が真っ白になる · あたまがまっしろになるHeard 6× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesMain list naru (Stage 1), -ku naru / -ni naru (Stage 4)