〜気味

Noun + 気味 (風邪気味, 緊張気味, 寝不足気味). Verb ます-stem + 気味 (疲れ気味, 太り気味, 遅れ気味). It works like a noun or な-adjective: 気味だ / 気味です, 気味の + noun (風邪気味の人), 気味で, 気味になる. Before a noun, 気味の is the usual form.

• 最近、仕事が忙しくて疲れ気味だ。

  さいきん、しごとがいそがしくてつかれぎみだ。

  I've been busy with work lately, and I'm a bit tired.

• 冬休みに食べすぎて、ちょっと太り気味なんです。

  ふゆやすみにたべすぎて、ちょっとふとりぎみなんです。

  I ate too much during winter break, so I've put on a little weight.

• 初めての発表で、リンさんは少し緊張気味でした。

  はじめてのはっぴょうで、リンさんはすこしきんちょうぎみでした。

  It was Linh's first presentation, and she was a little nervous.

• 工事は予定より遅れ気味だが、来月には終わるそうだ。

  こうじはよていよりおくれぎみだが、らいげつにはおわるそうだ。

  The construction is a little behind schedule, but I hear it will be finished next month.

• 寝不足気味の日は、コーヒーを飲みすぎないように気をつけています。

  ねぶそくぎみのひは、コーヒーをのみすぎないようにきをつけています。

  On days when I'm a little short of sleep, I'm careful not to drink too much coffee.

• 声がいつもと違うけど、風邪気味？

  こえがいつもとちがうけど、かぜぎみ？

  Your voice sounds different from usual. Do you have a bit of a cold?

• Using the wrong form before 気味. With verbs, use the ます-stem: ✕ 疲れる気味 ✕ 疲れた気味 → ○ 疲れ気味. With nouns, put 気味 right after the noun: ✕ 風邪な気味 → ○ 風邪気味.
• Using 気味 for a serious state. 気味 means 'a little', so it does not fit a strong illness or feeling. ✕ 40度の熱が出て、風邪気味です → ○ ひどい風邪をひいて、40度の熱が出ています.
• Using 気味 for a good feeling or state. It is usually used for states that are not good or not wanted. ✕ 最近、元気気味です → ○ 最近、元気です.

〜がち (tend to, often)

気味 describes a light state that someone is in now: 今朝から少し風邪気味だ (I've had a slight cold since this morning). がち describes something that happens often: 私は冬になると風邪をひきがちだ (I often catch colds when winter comes). 風邪気味 is about one time, now; 風邪をひきがち is about a pattern that repeats.

〜すぎる (too much)

すぎる means 'more than the right amount', and it is strong: 医者に太りすぎだと言われた (The doctor told me I'm too heavy). 気味 means only 'a little': 最近、少し太り気味だ (Lately I'm a little heavier than usual). Use すぎる for a clear problem and 気味 for a small change that you notice.

In N3 grammar-choice questions, 気味 is tested against がち, っぽい, and すぎる. Look for words such as 少し or ちょっと and for health or feeling words (風邪, 疲れ, 緊張): they point to 気味. Check the form before the blank, too: a noun or a ます-stem comes right before 気味. In vocabulary and kanji questions, remember that 気味 is read ぎみ after another word (風邪気味) but きみ in 気味が悪い.