GRAMMAR DETAIL
～にくい
Attaches to a verb stem to express that an action is difficult to perform or a phenomenon does not occur easily.
Examples
この漢字は形が似ていて覚えにくい。
This character resembles others in shape, so it is difficult to remember.
Words used
この瓶のふたは固くて開けにくいです。
The lid of this jar is tight and difficult to open.
Words used
この説明書は字が小さくて読みにくい。
The print in this manual is small, making it difficult to read.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure: A verb's
ますstem takesにくい. - Basic usage:
字が小さくて読みにくいmeans that small print makes reading difficult.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Difficulty and impossibility
開けにくいdescribes something as hard to open, while開けられないsays it cannot be opened. Do not automatically turn difficulty into impossibility.
- Phenomena and inflection
壊れにくいcan describe resistance to breaking. The whole construction behaves like an i-adjective, as in読みにくかったand読みにくい本.