3742
I've noticed there's a lot of overlap between the following words meaning
"earnest" or "serious" when talking about a person:

  * まじ
  * 真面目{まじめ}
  * 真剣{しんけん}
  * 本気{ほんき}
  * 正気{しょうき}: (This word really means "sane" I believe, but I'm including it as I think 「正気か？」 can translate to "are you serious?")
  * 素直{すなお}: (I'm not sure whether this word meaning "honest" belongs here I but keep wondering what it's relationship to 真面目{まじめ} is when it means "obedient". I thought there might be some overlap in it's usage, e.g. 「素直な顔」 "obedient face" and 「真面目な顔」 "serious face". It could well be unrelated though.)

Would I be allowed to ask what the differences between these words are and
when they're used?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-11-16T06:33:17.790
3740
2011-11-17T00:55:38.010
2011-11-16T08:14:32.817
796
796
question
word-choice words
Earnest and serious: when should each be used?
> まじ

Never heard it used, except in 「まじで？」 which is sometimes written "本気". It
means "aren't you joking" (see 本気)

> 真面目

真面目に勉強した。 He applied himself to studying.

> 真剣

真剣にやってくだい。 Do it conscientiously, won't you?

> 本気

本気で言った。 He wasn't joking when he said that.

> 正気

I never heard/used it enough to answer…

> 素直

Unrelated to the above… It means docile, honest, compliant…
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-11-16T07:03:08.483
3741
2011-11-16T07:03:08.483
356
3740
answer
* `まじ` colloquial and contracted form of `真面目`.
  * `真面目` 'diligent, serious'
  * `真剣` 'serious, under one's best' implies some tension
  * `本気` 'one's best, mean it'
  * `正気` 'has not lost conscious (due to alchohol, drug, fainting, or extreme situation, etc.)'
  * `素直` 'obedient, open minded'
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-11-16T09:44:47.670
3742
2011-11-17T00:55:38.010
2011-11-17T00:55:38.010
3740
answer