a touch of; -ish; tending toward

気味 attaches to a noun or a verb's masu-stem to mean showing a slight sign or tendency of something, usually negative. It describes a mild, incipient state (a bit tired, slightly behind schedule). The degree is small but noticeable.

Examples

• 少すこし風邪かぜ気味ぎみです。

  Sukoshi kaze gimi desu.

  I have a touch of a cold.

• 最近さいきん、太ふとり気味ぎみだ。

  Saikin, futori gimi da.

  Lately I've been gaining a bit of weight.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 少し a little
• 風邪 a cold
• 最近 recently, lately
• 太る to gain weight

Related patterns · Aspect and degree

• 〜つつある be in the process of
• 〜一方だ keep getting more and more
• 〜きる do completely; finish entirely
• 〜ぬく do all the way through (despite hardship)
• 〜だらけ full of; covered in
• 〜っぽい -ish; tends to; looks like