Translation guide
Describes speech or writing that uses too many words, often in a tedious or overly elaborate way.
To describe someone or something that is unnecessarily verbose, often in a critical way.
A common and neutral term for verbosity, often used in formal or written contexts to describe unnecessarily long speech or text.
To describe language that is unnecessarily elaborate, pompous, or full of fancy words.
冗長 is formal and often used for writing or speeches. くどい implies repetition and nagging, common in casual speech. 長ったらしい focuses on excessive length and is also casual.
There is no single direct translation for 'wordy'. Using 言葉が多い (kotoba ga ooi) is possible but less natural than the options above.
彼の説明は冗長で、要点が分かりにくかった。
His explanation was wordy and hard to follow.
An i-adjective meaning 'wordy' in a tedious, repetitive, or nagging way. Often used in casual conversation.
彼の話はいつもくどくて、聞いていると疲れる。
His stories are always so wordy, it's tiring to listen.
An i-adjective meaning 'long-winded' or 'drawn-out', with a negative nuance. Common in spoken Japanese.
彼のスピーチは長ったらしくて、みんな飽きていた。
His speech was so wordy that everyone got bored.
A more literary or formal term for 'verbose' or 'prolix', often used in writing criticism.
この小説は冗漫で、編集が必要だ。
This novel is wordy and needs editing.
An i-adjective meaning 'roundabout' or 'circumlocutory'. It implies using too many words to say something simple.
彼の言い方は回りくどくて、何が言いたいのか分からない。
His way of speaking is so wordy and roundabout that I don't know what he wants to say.
A noun or na-adjective meaning 'talkative' or 'voluble', often implying a fluent but possibly excessive use of words.
彼は饒舌な人で、会議が長引くことが多い。
He is a wordy person, and meetings often drag on.
Variant of 饒舌, also meaning 'talkative' or 'verbose'. Slightly less common.
彼の冗舌な説明にはうんざりした。
I got fed up with his wordy explanation.