文句|もんくmonku[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nouncomplaint; grumbling; objection
   そんなことは君きみが文句もんくを言いう理由りゆうにはならないよ。↗

   That doesn't give you grounds for complaining.
2. nounphrase; words; expression
   その文句もんくは、人ひとを侮辱ぶじょくするためのものだ。↗

   The phrase is meant to insult people.

• SynonymクレームNeutralA loanword for a complaint, sometimes one that includes a demand for compensation; 「文句」 covers grumbling in general and can also mean wording or phrasing.
• Synonym苦情くじょうNeutralA grievance or protest raised because you have been wronged or put out, as in 「苦情を言う」「苦情窓口」; 「文句」 is the more colloquial choice.
• Synonym不平ふへいNeutralDiscontent, felt or voiced, as in 「不平を言う」; it stresses a sense of unfairness, which 「文句」 need not imply.
• SynonymぼやきCasualColloquial: muttered, low-key grumbling; 「文句」 is more direct.
• Related不服ふふくNeutralRefusal to accept something, as in 「判決に不服」; the focus is on objection, while 「文句」 is the broader everyday word.
• Related恨みうらみNeutralResentment or a grudge kept bottled up inside; 「文句」 is complaints actually spoken out loud.
• Related不満足ふまんぞくNeutralThe feeling of being unsatisfied or displeased; 「文句」 is the complaint you put into words.
• Related慨嘆がいたんWrittenWritten/formal prose: lamenting or sighing over the way things are; 「文句」 targets a specific matter you complain about.
• Related恨み言うらみごとNeutralWords that pour out resentment, with a plaintive, sorrowful tinge; 「文句」 centers on finding fault.
• Related怨言えんげんWrittenWritten/formal prose: words of resentment, seen mostly in writing; in daily conversation say 「文句」.
• Antonym賞賛しょうさんNeutralPraise or commendation — the opposite of the fault-finding 「文句」.

To complain or find fault, use 「文句」, as in 「文句を言う」. Use 「苦情」 for grievances over being wronged, 「クレーム」 for complaints that may come with a compensation claim, 「ぼやき」 for muttered grumbles, and 「不服」 for objecting to a verdict or decision.

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

1. 文言もんごん。
2. 主張しゅちょう、苦情くじょう、不平ふへいの類たぐい。