noun
frustration from not getting what one wants; an itch one cannot scratch
A yojijukugo (four-character idiom) expressing the irritation of being unable to reach a desired outcome, like trying to scratch an itch through a shoe. Often used in literary or formal contexts.
彼の説明はいつも隔靴掻痒の感がある。
His explanations always leave me feeling frustrated, as if I can't quite get to the point.
改革案は出たが、具体性に欠け、隔靴掻痒の思いだ。
A reform plan was proposed, but it lacks specifics, leaving me with a sense of frustration.