Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Troublesome" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "troublesome", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
煩わしい
わずらわしい (wazurawashii)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
厄介
やっかい (yakkai)
C1 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "troublesome" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 煩わしい and 厄介.
In Japanese, 煩わしい (わずらわしい (wazurawashii)) is typically associated with "troublesome; annoying; bothersome" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents Describes something that causes annoyance, trouble, or takes a lot of time and effort, often unnecessarily. It refers to the feeling of being bothered. It is an i-adjective..
On the other hand, 厄介 (やっかい (yakkai)) maps to "troublesome, burdensome" (Syllabus Level: C1) and represents Essential structural term in CEFR C1 vocabulary syllabus.. A literal translation of "troublesome" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "煩わしい"
毎日の報告書の作成が煩わしいと感じている。
I find writing daily reports troublesome.
Bilingual Context for "厄介"
私は厄介に興味があります。
I am interested in troublesome, burdensome.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "毎日の報告書の作成が ＿＿＿ と感じている。" (Meaning: "I find writing daily reports troublesome.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "煩わしい" fits here because it means "troublesome; annoying; bothersome" in the context of: "I find writing daily reports troublesome.". "厄介" represents "troublesome, burdensome".