気難しい・気むずかしい|きむずかしいkimuzukashii[5]nakadaka (mid-high)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Which spelling to use
気難しい気難しい is the most common spelling and has the same meaning as 気むずかしい; it is written with kanji and kana and is the form most likely to appear.
気むずかしい気むずかしい is a less common spelling of the same adjective, also written with kanji and kana; you may encounter it as an alternative written form.
Definitions
- i-adjectivehard to please; difficult; particular; fussy; choosy; picky; fastidious
- i-adjectivebad-tempered; in a bad mood; displeased; sullen; crabby; cranky; grumpy
Conjugation
| Plain form | 気難しい（きむずかしい） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 気難しいです（きむずかしいです） |
| Negative (kunai) | 気難しくない（きむずかしくない） |
| polite (ku arimasen) | 気難しくありません（きむずかしくありません） |
| Past (katta) | 気難しかった（きむずかしかった） |
| Past negative (kunakatta) | 気難しくなかった（きむずかしくなかった） |
| Te form (kute) | 気難しくて（きむずかしくて） |
| Adverbial (ku) | 気難しく（きむずかしく） |
| Conditional (kereba) | 気難しければ（きむずかしければ） |
| kattara | 気難しかったら（きむずかしかったら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym小難しいこむずかしいNeutralSaid of content that is complicated, hard to follow and tedious; focuses on things, whereas 「気難しい」 is about a person's temper.
- Related神経質しんけいしつNeutralRefers to being oversensitive and worrying over trifles; stresses nervous sensitivity and does not necessarily mean hard to please.
- Related小うるさいこうるさいCasualColloquial for being picky over details and hard to satisfy; 「気難しい」 stresses an awkward temper and being hard to get along with.
- Related口やかましいくちやかましいNeutralFor someone who nags and lectures, stressing constant verbal fault-finding; 「気難しい」 is about the temper as a whole.
- Antonym気安いきやすいNeutralAntonym: easy to get along with and relaxed in company; the opposite of being hard to please.
- AntonymのんきNeutralAntonym: carefree and unbothered, not fussing over things; the opposite of being demanding and picky.
Default to 「気難しい」 for a hard-to-please temper. 「小難しい」 is mainly about fiddly content, though it can describe a peevish person; 「口やかましい」 is nagging; 「小うるさい」 picky over details; 「神経質」 oversensitive. Antonyms: 「気安い」 approachable; 「呑気」 carefree.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
