What is the difference between がる and ぎみ?


In one of my study flashcards, I have this sentence:

> 疲{つか}れぎみだけど生{い}きてます。

Which should translate to something like, "[He] appears worn out but [he's]
still kicking."

The main point is that in this instance, my understanding is that `ぎみ` means
"appears to," or, "looks like."

This card just came up in the rotation, and I remembered seeing [this
question](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/3270/what-is-the-
difference-
between-%E3%80%9C%E3%81%8C%E3%82%8B-and-%E3%80%9C%E3%81%8C%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%82%8B),
where it is explained that `がる` also means something similar.

So similar, that I'm wondering what exactly is the difference between `がる` and
`ぎみ`?

Obviously one difference is that `がる` can be modified ("conjugated"?) like a
verb (maybe it is a verb of some kind?) to become `がっている`, and `ぎみ` doesn't
look like it can be modified in any way that I'm aware of. So there almost
certainly a difference in grammatical usage.

The definitions still seem to be pretty much the same though.

Can someone explain if they have different implications in meaning, and in
what situations one would apply and the other couldn't?




Honestly speaking, I do not find the suffixes がる and [気味]{ぎみ} anything similar
to each other. This may mean that my explanation is not going to help you
resolve your confusion, but anyway here is my attempt.

The two suffixes have different grammatical roles and different meanings.

がる is attached to the stem of an i-adjective or a word which conjugates like
an i-adjective, and forms a verb. It adds the meaning “to act showing ….”

  * [痛]{いた}い (i-adjective; aching) → [痛]{いた}がる (verb; to act showing an ache)

気味 ([Progressive Waei Chu
Jiten](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E6%B0%97%E5%91%B3&dtype=3&dname=2na&stype=1&index=01020900&pagenum=1),
[New Century Waei
Jiten](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E6%B0%97%E5%91%B3&dtype=3&dname=2ss&stype=1&index=054080&pagenum=1))
is attached to a noun or the 連用形 form of a verb, and forms a noun. It adds the
meaning “having the tendency of …” or “being slight ….”

  * [疲]{つか}れる (verb; to be tired) → [疲]{つか}れ[気味]{ぎみ} (noun; slight feeling of tiredness)  
Example: [最近]{さいきん}疲れ気味だ。 I am a little tired these days.

  * [風邪]{かぜ} (noun; a cold) → [風邪気味]{かぜぎみ} (noun; slight feeling of a cold)  
Example: 風邪気味だ have a touch of a cold




Honestly speaking, I do not find the suffixes がる and [気味]{ぎみ} anything similar
to each other. This may mean that my explanation is not going to help you
resolve your confusion, but anyway here is my attempt.

The two suffixes have different grammatical roles and different meanings.

がる is attached to the stem of an i-adjective or a word which conjugates like
an i-adjective, and forms a verb. It adds the meaning “to act showing ….”

  * [痛]{いた}い (i-adjective; aching) → [痛]{いた}がる (verb; to act showing an ache)

気味 ([Progressive Waei Chu
Jiten](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E6%B0%97%E5%91%B3&dtype=3&dname=2na&stype=1&index=01020900&pagenum=1),
[New Century Waei
Jiten](http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8&p=%E6%B0%97%E5%91%B3&dtype=3&dname=2ss&stype=1&index=054080&pagenum=1))
is attached to a noun or the 連用形 form of a verb, and forms a noun. It adds the
meaning “having the tendency of …” or “being slight ….”

  * [疲]{つか}れる (verb; to be tired) → [疲]{つか}れ[気味]{ぎみ} (noun; slight feeling of tiredness)  
Example: [最近]{さいきん}疲れ気味だ。 I am a little tired these days.

  * [風邪]{かぜ} (noun; a cold) → [風邪気味]{かぜぎみ} (noun; slight feeling of a cold)  
Example: 風邪気味だ have a touch of a cold

