Japanese Conversation · Level 49
90 words
Japanese word
面倒
Pronunciation
Romajimendō
Meaning
- na-adjectivebothersome
Example
毎日の料理は面倒です。mai nichi no ryō ri wa men dō de su
Cooking every day is bothersome.
More examples
忙しい朝に弁当を作るのは面倒です。isoga shi i asa ni ben tō o tsuku ru no wa men dō de su
Making a packed lunch on a busy morning is bothersome.
Core concept
Describes something that requires unwanted effort or attention and therefore feels troublesome.
Common phrases
面倒なことmen dō na ko to
a bothersome matter
面倒な仕事men dō na shi goto
a bothersome job
面倒な手続きmen dō na te tsuzu ki
a bothersome procedure
Similar words
大変taihen: Describes something difficult or demanding to handle or complete.
厄介yakkai: Describes something troublesome to deal with or requiring considerable effort.
億劫okkū: Describes a reluctance to do something because it requires effort.
Definition in Japanese
物事を行うのに手間がかかり、わずらわしいさま。mono goto o okona u no ni te ma ga ka ka ri wa zu ra wa shi i sa ma
Word origin
面倒 (mendō, "trouble") has an uncertain origin; its modern spelling uses 面 (men, "face") and 倒 (tō, "fall"), but their separate meanings do not reliably explain the compound.
Usage tips
- When speakers say 面倒 (mendō, "bothersome") about a task, they usually focus on the inconvenience of dealing with it, not on whether the task is objectively hard.