How to say "irritating" in Japanese

• 腹立たしいはらだたしいCommon
  i-adjectiveCovers the maddening sense of 'irritating': something that makes anger well up inside you, such as outrageous or unfair behavior. The nuance is rising indignation rather than mere annoyance.
  彼かれは腹立はらだたしげに彼女かのじょを見みた。↗

  He looked at her angrily.
• 歯がゆいはがゆいCommon
  i-adjectiveCovers irritation mixed with impatience and frustration: watching something drag on or someone keep fumbling while you can only look on. The feeling is exasperation rather than anger.
• 逆なでさかなでCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbReally names the act of rubbing someone the wrong way—provoking or antagonizing a person with remarks or behavior. For the adjective 'irritating' it is seldom the word you want.
  彼かれの言いうことすべてが、私の神経しんけいを逆さかなでするのです。↗

  Everything he says rubs me the wrong way.
• うっとうしいJLPT N1approx.Common
  i-adjectiveCovers the gloomy, oppressive kind of irritation: something bothersome that weighs on you and will not lift, the way a spell of overcast weather does. The nuance is dreary heaviness rather than anger.

Choose 「腹立たしい」 for things that stir genuine anger, 「歯がゆい」 for impatient, frustrated irritation, 「うっとうしい」 for gloomy, oppressive bother, and 「逆なで」 only for the act of irritating someone.

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

• 腹立たしいはらだたしいirritating
• 歯がゆいはがゆい(feeling) impatient
• 逆なでさかなでrubbing (someone) the wrong way
• もどかしいirritating
• じれったいirritating
• 苛立たしいいらだたしいirritating
• うっといirritating
• せからしかirritating
• え辛いえがらいacrid
• ツンとくるpungent
• 忌々しいいまいましいannoying
• まどろっこしい(frustratingly) slow
• まどろっこい(frustratingly) slow
• うっとうしいirritating
• いがいがirritating (e.g. one's throat)
• かったるいirritating
• 辛気臭いしんきくさいirritating