難しい
muzukashii[mɯ̟zɨka̠ɕii]
The English word 'hard' is translated into Japanese as 難しい (muzukashii). Wiktionary also lists 困難な (konnan na).
Meaning: requiring a lot of effort to do or understand (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 難しい | muzukashii | [mɯ̟zɨka̠ɕii] (narrow) |
| 困難な | konnan na |
The term is used to describe something that requires a lot of effort to do or understand.
Which one should you use?
難しい (muzukashii) is the common and conversational choice for everyday situations where something is difficult or hard to understand.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
muzukashii
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use 硬い (katai) to mean 'difficult'. That word specifically refers to physical hardness (texture/solidity).
Did you know?
- In a business setting, instead of saying a request is 'hard' or 'difficult', people often use the phrase 検討します (kentou shimasu), which literally means 'we will consider it' but functions as a polite way to signal a refusal.
- The word 難しい (muzukashii) originates from ancient verbs that described feeling 'vexed' or 'irritated', suggesting that a difficult task is one that causes emotional frustration.
- In Japanese business culture, 難しい (muzukashii) is often used as a polite way to say 'no' or 'impossible' without using a negative word. If a colleague says a request is 難しい, they are likely telling you it cannot be done.
Examples in context
- 彼は気難しい。He is hard to please.This example shows how to use 難しい to describe someone's temperament.Tatoeba #108562 by bunbuku, translation #295084 by CH
- 物理は難しい。Physics is hard.This example uses 難しい to describe the difficulty of a subject.Tatoeba #13388238 by small_snow, translation #5955956 by mailohilohi
- 勉強は難しいの？Is the school work hard?This example uses 難しい to ask a question about the difficulty of school work.Tatoeba #83293 by KK_kaku_, translation #320423 by CM
- 金属はかたいです。Metal is hard.
- この数学の問題はむずかしいです。This math problem is difficult.
- この瓶が開かない。すごくかたい！I can't open this jar. It's so hard!
- 119 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are talking about their homework.
- 美咲 Misakiこの問題はとても難しいです。Kono mondai wa totemo muzukashii desu.This problem is very hard.
- 蓮 Ren本当だ。やり方が分からないよ。Hontou da. Yarikata ga wakaranai yo.You're right. I don't know how to do it.
- 美咲 Misaki一緒に考えようか。Issho ni kangaeyou ka.Shall we think about it together?
- 蓮 Renありがとう、美咲。Arigatou, Misaki.Thanks, Misaki.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hard” translations and entries 難しい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 難しい, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
