気持 （きもち） vs. 気分 （きぶん）

[melitu]

I just listened to Intermediate Lesson #2 where 気分 is used to express "feeling":
すごい、いい気分だ。
(すごい、いいきぶんだ。)

Previously, I had seen 気持 used to express "feeling":
時 （とき） が あまり にも 早く （はやく） 過ぎる （す） ので、 寂しい （さびしい） 気持 （きもち） に なります。

I'm a bit confused on the difference between the two. From the explanation and examples, it seems that 気持 （きもち） is used for something you actually feel physically (e.g. during a massage). 気分 （きぶん）, on the other hand, is for more abstract "feelings"... it feels good to have reached a goal, finished a paper, etc.

So for emotions like happiness, sadness, etc., would one use 気持 （きもち） since there is a physical element to it?

Any help on using one versus the other is greatly appreciated.
ありがとうございます ~

[hatch_jp]

I'm not sure the following links could be helpful for you.

Personally, I think 気持ち is feeling in English and 気分 is mood in English.

気持ち
気分

[Taurus]

On a slighly unrelated note, is there a reason that I got laughed at so much when I used the phrase, 'Hon no kimochi desu'? I learnt it from Minna no Nihongo, and used it the first time I went to stay with my girlfriend's family, when I gave them presents, but they all found it uproariously funny, and now it's like my catchphrase whenever I go there.

[hermes3g]

I also always get confused between these two,
but as long as I know, 気持ち is often for the physical status.

[Psy]

This topic was brought up in one of the lesson commentaries, whereupon this link was presented:

http://home.alc.co.jp/db/owa/jpn_npa?stage=2&sn=68

It isn't of much good to those who can't tackle a somewhat abstract grammatical explanation in Japanese, so I'll try to boil down to the meat of it:

While both 気持ち and 気分 can both express one's physical state, on the mental side of things, 気持ち expresses a feeling based on an object or thing which is clearly represented, sort of stating a feeling based on things observed outside of the mind. 気分, on the other hand, refers to the psychological side of things, how you, yourself feel in a situation instead of how something else makes you feel. The sentences used on the ALC page are these:

(round one, where either is fine)
A：具合でも悪いんですか。
B：ええ、ちょっと気持ちが悪くて／気分が悪くて。
guai demo waruin desu ka? (something got you down?)
ee, chotto kimochi ga warukute/kibun ga warukute (yeah, I'm a little out of it...)

(round two, featuring 気持ちが悪い, "feeling about something else")
殿様ガエルは鳴き声もグロテスクで、気持ちが悪い。(NOT: ×気分が悪い)
tonosama-gaeru wa nakigoe mo gurotesuku de, kimochi ga warui (NOT: kibun ga warui)
"The call of the bullfrogs is so grotesque, gives me the chills (the thing makes me feel bad)"

(round 3, talking on the inside, the expression refers to "me," my situation, and not specifically what it is that makes me feel bad)
人前でからかわれて気分が悪かった。
hitomae de karakawarete kibun ga warukatta
Being ridiculed in public is humiliating (it is psychologically hard)

However, the article ends with a modification of the bullfrog sentence to allow for 気分が悪い:

殿様ガエルは鳴き声もグロテスクで、聞いていて気分が悪い。
tonosama-gaeru wa nakigoe mo gurotesuku de, kiite ite kibun ga warui
The call of the bullfrogs is so grotesque, hearing it (psychological) is nasty...

Whenever there's overlap things get confusing. I'd like to say I understand it perfectly, but I know I don't. This is the kind of thing that just develops over constant exposure and analysis.

[melitu]

Thanks for the links and explanations. The examples really help!

This is the kind of thing that just develops over constant exposure and analysis.

As always, nothing beats exposure in language learning =)