煩わしい

• Reading: わずらわしい
• Romaji: wazurawashii
• Kanji breakdown: 煩 (wazura) — worry, trouble, vex
• Pronunciation: /ɰa.zɯ.ɾa.ɰa.ɕiː/

Meaning

Troublesome; annoying; bothersome. Describes things that cause mental burden or irritation due to complexity.

An i-adjective expressing frustration with something that is needlessly complicated or demanding of attention. Stronger and more literary than めんどくさい (mendokusai, bothersome) — 煩わしい emphasises the mental weight and irritation rather than mere laziness. Common patterns: 煩わしい手続き (troublesome paperwork), 人間関係が煩わしい (human relationships are tiresome). Often used by adults describing bureaucratic or social burdens.

Examples

1. 引っ越しの手続きが煩わしくて嫌になる。 The moving paperwork is such a hassle it makes me want to give up.
2. 煩わしい人間関係から離れて田舎に移住した。 I moved to the countryside to get away from the tiresome social dynamics.
3. 毎回パスワードを入力するのが煩わしい。 It's such a pain having to enter my password every single time.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, bureaucracy, social situations

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From the verb 煩う (wazurau, to worry/be troubled). The kanji 煩 combines 火 (fire) and 頁 (head), evoking the image of a burning, troubled mind.

Cultural Context

Era: Pre-modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal