How to say "burden" in Japanese

• 負担ふたんJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounA burden in the sense of a strain, expense, or duty that weighs on someone, such as the financial burden of supporting a family.
  彼かれは、両親りょうしんの負担ふたんになった。↗

  He was a burden to his parents.
• 厄介やっかいJLPT N3approx.Common
  na-adjective, nounBurden in the sense of a nuisance: a person or matter that is troublesome to deal with, stressing the bother it causes rather than a weight of responsibility one carries.
  そんなことをするとやっかいなことを招まねくことになる。↗

  To do so is asking for trouble.
• 足手まといあしでまといCommon
  na-adjective, nounBurden as hindrance: used chiefly of a person whose presence slows others down or gets in their way, so calling someone this is strongly negative, even insulting.
  足手あしでまといになる子供こどもをお頼たのみしてすみません。↗

  I am sorry to encumber you with the children.
• 荷物にもつJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounThe word for luggage, baggage, or parcels — things physically carried or shipped. It can also be used figuratively, of a person or thing that is a burden on others.
• 荷にJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounA load pictured as something actually carried or shouldered; it covers both physical loads and responsibilities, and suits talk of bearing a heavy burden or being relieved of one.

Choose 負担 for a strain, cost, or duty; 厄介 for a nuisance; 「足手まとい」 for a person who gets in the way; 荷物 for luggage, also a person who is a burden; 荷 for a load or responsibility shouldered.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 負担ふたんburden
• 厄介やっかいtrouble
• 足手まといあしでまといimpediment
• 厄介者やっかいものburden
• 荷厄介にやっかいencumbrance
• 厄介事やっかいごとtroublesome matter
• 首枷くびかせpillory
• 足纏いあしまといsomething or someone that gets in the way
• 足かせあしかせfetters
• 畳句じょうくrepetition
• 余り者あまりものinterloper
• 負担感ふたんかん(sense of) burden
• 荷物にもつburden
• 荷にburden
• 重みおもみweight (e.g. of someone's words)
• お荷物おにもつburden
• しわ寄せしわよせill effects
• 邪魔者じゃまものnuisance
• かけるto cause (someone inconvenience, trouble, etc.)