癖のある~ and negative connotations


I know that 癖 means "habit", most likely a bad one, for example the habit to
bite nails:

> 爪を噛｛か｝む癖のある人

But what I am wondering about is whether 癖がある _by itself_ also necessarily has
a bad meaning or connotation (when said about people): my dictionary gives a
translation _"quirky"_ , which I would say is more of a positive thing. But in
Japanese I find descriptions like 性格がきつい, which to me again is somewhat
ambiguous (is it regarded positive or negative, 50/50 etc.).

Does this expression 癖のある～ always carry a somewhat negative tone, or would the
meaning tend more towards the English "quirky"? Thanks in advance.




When we say (Xは)癖がある or 癖が/のあるX without specifying what sort of 癖 it is that X
has, the word 癖 often refers to _a distinctive or peculiar quality_ of some
kind, rather than a particular behavioral pattern.

We may speak of 癖のある味("a distinctive taste (of food)"), 一癖も二癖もある人("a person
with a peculiar quality or two") or say things like あの人は癖が強い, with the
implication that things/people described as such have distinctive qualities
that make people love or hate them (or at least make some people cautious in
dealing with them). So I'd say 癖がある has an ambivalent connotation, but maybe a
bit more negative than positive.

性格がきつい means something different and more specific, namely that someone _has
an acerbic or abrasive disposition_ , and I suppose it's usually used in a
somewhat negative way.




When we say (Xは)癖がある or 癖が/のあるX without specifying what sort of 癖 it is that X
has, the word 癖 often refers to _a distinctive or peculiar quality_ of some
kind, rather than a particular behavioral pattern.

We may speak of 癖のある味("a distinctive taste (of food)"), 一癖も二癖もある人("a person
with a peculiar quality or two") or say things like あの人は癖が強い, with the
implication that things/people described as such have distinctive qualities
that make people love or hate them (or at least make some people cautious in
dealing with them). So I'd say 癖がある has an ambivalent connotation, but maybe a
bit more negative than positive.

性格がきつい means something different and more specific, namely that someone _has
an acerbic or abrasive disposition_ , and I suppose it's usually used in a
somewhat negative way.

