難しい

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 日本語は難しいですが、面白いです。▶ —
   Japanese is hard but fun.
2. それは難しい問題ですね。▶ —
   That's a tough question.

Collocations

Mnemonic

難しい muzukashii — i-adjective. The kanji 難 carries the core sense "difficulty / disaster". Beyond literal "hard", idiom 難しい顔 ("difficult face") = a furrowed, troubled look — a signal of indecision or refusal in meetings. In a Japanese workplace, "難しいですね" ("it's a bit difficult") is a soft refusal: holding back, declining indirectly. The Korean eoryeowoyo carries the same social code. Onyomi なん (nan): 難問 (difficult problem), 困難 (hardship), 避難 (hinan, evacuation).

Quick check

1. Social meaning of "難しいですね" in a Japanese meeting?

   • Soft refusal / hold (avoiding direct No)
   • Academic difficulty assessment
   • Simple exclamation
   • Agreement