GRAMMAR DETAIL
〜づらい
Indicates that an action feels difficult because of emotional reluctance or surrounding circumstances.
Examples
この話題は、初対面の人には話しづらい。
This topic is difficult to bring up with someone you have just met.
Words used
この瓶のふたは固くて開けづらい。
The lid of this jar is tight and difficult to open.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure: Attach
づらいto a verb's masu-stem to describe difficulty felt because of reluctance or circumstances. - Basic usage:
この瓶のふたは固くて開けづらい。describes difficulty opening a jar because its lid is tight.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Spelling and inflection
話すbecomes話しづらい; spell the suffixづらい, notずらい. Its past form is話しづらかった.
- Overlap with にくい
話しづらいreadily conveys reluctance to speak, but the suffix also describes physical difficulty, as in開けづらい. Its use overlaps withにくいand is not limited to emotions.