Japanese word

不平

Pronunciation

Romajifuhei

Meaning

  • nouncomplaint

Example

彼は仕事について不平を言います。kare wa shi goto ni tsu i te fu hei o i i ma su

He complains about his job.

Illustration for 不平 (complaint)

More examples

会議では誰も不平を口にしませんでした。kai gi de wa dare mo fu hei o kuchi ni shi ma se n de shi ta

No one voiced a complaint at the meeting.

Core concept

It describes the feeling that a situation is unsatisfactory, which can lead to a complaint or expression of discontent.

Common phrases

  • 不平を口にするfu hei o kuchi ni su ru

    voice a complaint

  • 不平を言うfu hei o yū

    complain

Similar words

不満fuman: A sense that a person, thing, or situation does not meet expectations.
文句monku: An expressed complaint about a situation, service, or treatment.
苦情kujō: A direct complaint about a problem or poor service.
愚痴guchi: Words about personal troubles or dissatisfaction without a formal request for action.

Definition in Japanese

扱いや結果に納得できず、満足しない気持ち。atsuka i ya kek ka ni nat toku de ki zu man zoku shi na i ki mo chi

Word origin

不 (fu, "not") is combined with 平 (hei, "even" or "calm") in this Sino-Japanese compound, giving the sense of something being unsettled or unsatisfactory.

Usage tips

  • In conversation, 不平 (fuhei) can describe dissatisfaction directed at a situation, not only words spoken aloud, so it does not always mean an overt complaint.

Other meanings

  • discontentnoun
  • dissatisfactionnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word