i-adjective
hard to understand; confusing; puzzling
Describes something that is inherently unclear, complicated, or difficult to grasp. Often used for explanations, instructions, or situations.
この説明書は分かりづらい。
This manual is hard to understand.
彼の話し方は分かりづらい。
His way of speaking is confusing.
Almost synonymous; 分かりにくい is slightly more common and neutral, while 分かりづらい can carry a nuance of being mentally taxing or frustrating to understand.
Means 'difficult' in a broader sense; 分かりづらい specifically refers to difficulty in comprehension.
Compound of 分かり (continuative form of 分かる 'to understand') + づらい ('difficult to do'). The づらい suffix derives from 辛い (つらい 'painful, hard'), indicating an action that is hard to perform.