Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

こだわり (kodawari) Japanese meaning: obsession | Kotomora

こだわり

こ

だ

わ

り

JLPTN2›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

obsession; fixation; fastidiousness; pickiness

usually written using kana alone

A strong personal attachment to a particular way, quality, or detail; can be positive (dedication to craft) or negative (stubborn pickiness). Often used in phrases like こだわりがある or こだわりが強い.

彼かれ

は

コーヒー

に

強つよ

い

こだわり

が

ある

。

He has a strong fixation on coffee.

その職しょく人にんは道どう具ぐにこだわりを持もっている。

That craftsman is particular about his tools.

2

complaining; criticizing

usually written using kana alone

Rare usage; refers to finding fault or being overly critical. More commonly expressed with verbs like 文句を言う.

彼かれのこだわりはいつも些さ細さいなことだ。
His complaints are always about trivial things.

3

speciality; signature item

usually written using kana alone

Used for a restaurant's or shop's speciality, something they take pride in. Often seen in phrases like 店のこだわり or こだわりの一品.

このラーメン屋やのこだわりはスープです。
This ramen shop's speciality is the soup.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉にこだわりがあるto have a particular attachment or preference regarding something
彼かれは食しょく材ざいの産さん地ちにこだわりがある。
He's particular about where his ingredients come from.
店みせのこだわりa shop's signature focus or point of pride
このラーメン屋やのこだわりはスープです。
This ramen shop's signature focus is its soup.
こだわりが強つよいto be very particular or fussy about something
彼かの女じょは服ふくのこだわりが強つよい。
She's extremely particular about her clothes.
こだわりの〈物もの〉a specialty item made with particular care and pride
これはシェフこだわりの一いっ品ぴんです。
This is the chef's signature dish, made with special care.
〈物もの〉にこだわりを持もつto hold a fixed preference or standard for something
職しょく人にんは道どう具ぐにこだわりを持もっている。
The craftsman has strong preferences about his tools.

Kanji

拘arrest, seize, concerned

Related words

執しゅう着ちゃくN1sense 1
執着 describes a stronger, often unhealthy clinging to something, while こだわり can be either a negative fixation or a positive dedication to quality.
拘こう泥でい sense 1
拘泥 is a more formal, literary word for stubbornly sticking to a trivial point, whereas こだわり is everyday and can carry a positive nuance too.
思おもい入いれ
こだわり highlights a fussy insistence on details or a particular way of doing things, whereas 思い入れ focuses on the emotional depth behind one's feelings toward something.
固こ執しつN1
こだわり often has a positive or neutral sense of being particular about something, while 固執 usually carries a negative connotation of unreasonable stubbornness.

Opposites

無む頓とん着ちゃく sense 1
無頓着 means being indifferent or unconcerned about details, the opposite of having a strong こだわり about something.

Written forms

こだわりUsage99%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 拘り is also used but less common.
コダワリUsage1%
拘こだわり
Kanji form; less common than kana, but seen in some contexts.

Etymology

Noun form of the verb こだわる (拘る), which originally meant 'to get stuck' or 'to be hindered', later shifting to 'to be particular about'. The kanji 拘 means 'to adhere' or 'to be concerned with'.