How to say "dissatisfaction" in Japanese

• 不満ふまんJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, na-adjectiveThe general-purpose word for dissatisfaction: discontent with a situation, service, or treatment, whether felt quietly or voiced as a complaint. If unsure which word fits, this is the natural choice.
  何なんがそんなに不満ふまんですか。↗

  What made you so dissatisfied?
• 不服ふふくJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, na-adjectiveDissatisfaction directed at a decision, ruling, or result that one refuses to accept; it carries the sense of objection or disapproval rather than general grumbling.
  彼かれは不服ふふくそうに口くちをとがらせた。↗

  He pouted with dissatisfaction.
• 不平ふへいJLPT N3approx.Common
  no-adjective, na-adjectiveDiscontent that is voiced rather than merely felt: complaints or grumbling about things one finds annoying or unfair, with 'grievance' among its core senses.
  君きみはいつも不平ふへいを言いっている。↗

  You are always complaining.
• 不満足ふまんぞくCommon
  noun, na-adjectiveDissatisfaction understood as the state of not being satisfied; close to 不満 in meaning, but it describes the feeling that something falls short rather than complaints aired about it.
  あなたは満足まんぞくしていますか、それとも不満足ふまんぞくですか。↗

  Are you satisfied or dissatisfied?
• 不足ふそくJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, na-adjectiveBasically means shortage or insufficiency — not having enough of something. Its 'dissatisfaction' sense is marginal, so for expressing discontent this is seldom the word you want; think 'lack', not 'complaint'.

Choose 不満 for general dissatisfaction or complaints, 不平 for discontent voiced as grievances, 不服 for refusing to accept a decision or result, 不満足 for the state of being unsatisfied, and 不足 hardly at all, since it mainly means shortage.

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

• 不満ふまんdissatisfaction
• 不服ふふくdissatisfaction
• 不平ふへいdiscontent
• 不満足ふまんぞくdissatisfaction
• 不足ふそくdissatisfaction