Say an action is hard to do or resistant (〜にくい)

The Physical Friction Mental Model

〜にくい is the polar counterpart to 〜やすい. Like its sibling, it operates entirely as an い-adjective.

Rather than describing lack of personal competence, 〜にくい pinpoints physical, structural, or mechanical friction: the action is awkward, stiff, clumsy, or meets natural resistance.

How to Form 〜にくい

Drop ます from any polite verb stem and attach にくい:

• 歩く (to walk) → 歩きます → 歩きにくい (awkward / hard to walk in)
• 読む (to read) → 読みます → 読みにくい (hard to read / illegible)
• 飲む (to drink) → 飲みます → 飲みにくい (hard to swallow / bitter)
• 壊れる (to break) → 壊れます → 壊れにくい (hard to break / durable)

The Two Faces of 〜にくい

1. Mechanical & Sensory Awkwardness (“Difficult / Unpleasant to Do”): - この靴は小さくて歩きにくいです: “These shoes are tight and hard to walk in.” - 字が小さくて読みにくいです: “The font is tiny and hard to read.” - この薬は苦くて飲みにくいです: “This pill is bitter and difficult to swallow.”

2. Positive Resilience & Durability (“Resistant to Happening”): - When combined with negative verbs, 〜にくい creates desirable, high-value commercial qualities: - 壊れにくいスーツケース: “A durable suitcase (hard to break).” - シワになりにくいシャツ: “A wrinkle-resistant shirt.” - 錆びにくい包丁: “A rust-resistant kitchen knife.”

The Crucial 3-Way Distinction: にくい vs づらい vs 難しい

Learners often mix up Japanese ways to express “difficulty”:

1. 〜にくい — Physical / Structural Friction: - The road is rocky (歩きにくい), the font is microscopic (読みにくい). 2. 〜づらい — Psychological Burden or Physical Pain: - Expresses inner embarrassment, emotional hesitation, or body ache: - 頼みづらい: “Awkward / embarrassing to ask a favor.” - 胸が痛くて息が吸いづらい: “It hurts and is painful to inhale.” 3. 難しい(むずかしい) (difficult) — Cognitive / Conceptual Challenge: - Complex mathematics or abstract theory: 数学の問題を解くのは難しい (“Solving math problems is difficult”).