Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| うるさい | urusai | [ɯ̟ɾɯ̟sa̠i] (narrow) |
| 迷惑 | meiwaku | [me̞ːβ̞a̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 面倒 | mendō | [mẽ̞ndo̞ː] (narrow) |
In Japanese, the word used for 'annoying' depends heavily on the nature of the irritation. Other ways to express annoyance include the informal うっとうしい when feeling fed up with a situation, or ウザい and うざい to reflect casual irritation or frustration, often used in online or casual conversations. To describe the feeling of becoming irritated by a specific thing, you can use 〜にイライラする.
Which one should you use?
The specific form you choose depends on what is causing the annoyance. Use うるさい when someone or something is being too loud or noisy. Use 迷惑 when the annoyance is caused by someone's behavior being a nuisance to others or causing trouble. Use 面倒 when the annoyance refers to a task or situation being a hassle or a chore to deal with.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term うるさい can be used very informally or even aggressively as a command to mean 'shut up'. For more formal contexts, if you want to describe something as troublesome or difficult to deal with, use 厄介. If you want to formally express that you are troubled or in a difficult situation, use the verb 困ります.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective うるさい has a secondary meaning: it can be used to describe someone who is very particular or picky about a specific subject, such as cleanliness or food.
How do you pronounce it?
urusai
Did you know?
- The word うるさい may have originally described a positive sense of being overwhelmed by something's thoroughness or completeness.
- The term ウザい is a shortened version of うっとうしい, created to make the expression of irritation faster and more punchy in casual speech.
Examples in context
- トムは味にうるさい。Tom has annoying tastes in food.This example shows how うるさい can describe someone with picky tastes.Tatoeba #9972332 by small_snow, translation #10204032 by terrywallwork
- 迷惑極まりない人ね。That person is extremely annoying, aren't they.This example uses 迷惑 to describe a person who is a extreme nuisance.Tatoeba #11320552 by small_snow, translation #13138727 by terrywallwork
- いちいちうるさいな。Don't be so annoying about every little thing.This example uses うるさい to express annoyance at someone being bothersome about small details.Tatoeba #12955165 by small_snow, translation #13079750 by terrywallwork
- 申し訳ありませんが、少々迷惑をおかけいたします。I'm sorry, but I may be causing you a little inconvenience/annoyance.
- この問題はちょっと面倒くさいですね。This problem is a bit bothersome, isn't it?
- 彼の態度は本当に厄介です。His attitude is truly troublesome.
- 彼女の無礼な態度に困ります。I am troubled by her disrespectful attitude.
- この人は本当にウザい！This person is really annoying!
- この曲、めっちゃうざい！This song is so annoying!
- この暑さにイライラする。I get annoyed by this heat.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a cafe, a nearby customer is talking too loudly.
- 陽太 Yotaあの人の話し声、うるさいね。Ano hito no hanashigoe, urusai ne.That person's voice is annoying, isn't it?
- 美咲 Misaki本当にうるさい。少し静かにしてほしい。Hontou ni urusai. Sukoshi shizuka ni shite hoshii.It really is annoying. I wish they would be a bit quieter.
- 陽太 Yota集中できないよ。Shuuchuu dekinai yo.I can't concentrate.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太くんも困るよね。Youta-kun mo komaru yo ne.It's troubling for you too, Youta.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “annoying” translations and entries うるさい, 迷惑, 面倒, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries うるさい, 迷惑, 面倒, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
