気が置けない

Kigaokenai

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Meaning

easy to be around

Needing no reserve or carefulness; someone you can be completely at ease with.

Example

学生時代からの気が置けない友人とは、何でも話せる。

I can talk about anything with my friends from school, whom I never have to be on guard around.

Origin

It is the negative of ki o oku (to feel constrained), so it is a compliment. In the Agency for Cultural Affairs public opinion survey, the original meaning, "no need to hold back," was chosen by 44.6% in fiscal Heisei 14 (2002) and 42.7% in fiscal Heisei 24 (2012). The opposite, "one has to hold back," rose from 40.1% to 47.6%, and has come out ahead since fiscal Heisei 18 (2006).

Sources

コトバンクkotobank.jp