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厄介 (やっかい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N3 Freq. Frequency Top 10,000 Meanings 1
na-adjective, noun
troublesome ; burdensome ; nuisance
Describes a person, situation, or thing that causes trouble, inconvenience, or extra work. Often used in the phrase 厄介な to mean 'troublesome' or 'a pain'.
題だい
を
持も
ち
込こ
む
。
He always brings troublesome problems.
2
na-adjective, noun
care ; dependence ; obligation
Refers to being under someone's care or being a burden on them. Often used in the phrase お世話になる or 厄介になる to mean 'to be taken care of' or 'to stay with someone as a dependent'.
Written forms 厄やっ 介かい Usage 72%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency in news and general use.
やっかい Usage 27%
Kana spelling is common in casual writing and when the kanji is considered difficult.
ヤッカイ Usage <1%
Kanji 厄 unlucky, misfortune, bad luck 介 jammed in, shellfish, mediate Similar words 面めん 倒どう 面倒 also means 'troublesome' or 'bothersome', but focuses more on the hassle or effort involved, while 厄介 emphasizes the burden or nuisance aspect.
世せ 話わ 世話 means 'care' or 'looking after', often with a positive connotation of help, whereas 厄介 in the care sense implies being a burden or dependent.
Etymology The kanji 厄 means 'misfortune' or 'calamity', and 介 means 'to mediate' or 'to be involved'. Together they originally referred to being entangled in trouble, which extended to the modern meanings of troublesome and being under someone's care as a burden.
