～にくい

How to form it

• Verb (ます-stem, e.g. 読み) + にくい
• Conjugates like an い-adjective: にくくない, にくかった
• Related: ～づらい (more emotional)

Register: Neutral

Explanation

Says that an action is difficult to do, because of the thing's characteristics, the circumstances or the nature of the action.

～づらい often stresses subjective difficulty, discomfort or physical or psychological strain.

Examples

1. この漢字は、書きにくい。

   このかんじは、かきにくい。

   This kanji is hard to write.

2. この靴は、歩きにくいです。

   このくつは、あるきにくいです。

   These shoes are hard to walk in.

3. 彼の話は、分かりにくい。

   かれのはなしは、わかりにくい。

   His story is hard to follow.

Compare with

• ～やすい: ～やすい is the opposite: easy to do.

Common mistakes

• Using ～にくい for something one is unable to do (use the potential form).
• Mixing it with 難しい (difficult).