文もん句く

も

ん

く

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

noun

complaint; gripe; objection

Everyday word for expressing dissatisfaction or finding fault. Often used with 言う or つける.

彼かれはいつも食しょく事じに文もん句くを言いう。
He always complains about the food.
この計けい画かくに文もん句くはありません。
I have no objection to this plan.

noun

phrase; wording; expression

Refers to the words or phrasing of something, often in set expressions like 文句を付ける (find fault with wording) or 決まり文句 (stock phrase).

この契けい約やく書しょの文もん句くがわかりにくい。
The wording of this contract is hard to understand.
彼かれは決きまり文もん句くばかり使つかう。
He only uses stock phrases.

See all 268 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉に文もん句くを言いうto complain to someone
隣となりの人ひとに音おとがうるさいと文もん句くを言いった。
I complained to my neighbor that the noise was too loud.
〈物もの〉の文もん句くを覚おぼえるto memorize the wording/lyrics of something
その歌うたの文もん句くをすぐに覚おぼえた。
I quickly memorized the lyrics of that song.
〈人ひと〉は文もん句くが多おおいsomeone complains a lot
うちの上じょう司しは本ほん当とうに文もん句くが多おおい。
My boss really complains about everything.

Expressions

殺ころし文もん句くkiller line; pick-up line; clincher
口く説どき文もん句くpick-up line; chat-up line; sweet talk
文もん句くを言いうcomplain; grumble; make a complaint
文もん句くを付つけるcomplain; lodge a complaint
文もん句くの付つけようがないblameless; faultless; perfect; above reproach

Kanji

文sentence, literature, style
句phrase, clause, sentence

Related words· 11

苦く情じょうN3sense 1
苦情 is a formal, often official complaint (e.g., to a company), while 文句 is a casual, everyday gripe.
言いい回まわしN1sense 2
言い回し means a turn of phrase or manner of expression, while 文句 in this sense means the actual set wording used.
クレームN3sense 1
クレーム is specifically a complaint made to a business about a product or service, whereas 文句 covers any casual grumble.
フレーズ sense 2
フレーズ is a borrowed, more neutral term for a phrase (e.g., in music or language), while 文句 often implies a fixed or notable set of words.

Show 7 more

不ふ満まんN3sense 1
不満 names the feeling of dissatisfaction itself, while 文句 refers to the spoken words of complaint.
小こ言ごと
文句 is the broad, everyday word for a complaint or objection, while 小言 specifically suggests nagging fault-finding, often from a superior to a subordinate.
愚ぐ痴ちN2
文句 is a direct complaint or objection, often stronger and more confrontational, while 愚痴 is more like idle grumbling or venting.
言いい分ぶんN1
文句 is a blunt gripe or complaint, often about trivial things, while 言い分 as a complaint still carries the sense of a personal, arguably legitimate grievance.
申もうし分ぶんN1
文句 is the common, everyday word for a complaint used in both positive and negative sentences, while 申し分 appears almost only in negative forms like 申し分ない to mean 'flawless'.
セリフN2
文句 often implies a complaint or set phrase with a negative tone, whereas セリフ in its 'stock phrase' sense (お決まりのセリフ) is more neutral or ironic, referring to a predictable line.
不ふ平へいN3
文句 is a blunt, often confrontational complaint, whereas 不平 sounds slightly more formal and can describe an inner feeling as well as spoken words.

Word family· 9

うたい文もん句く
catchphrase; slogan; promotional line
凄すご文もん句く
intimidating language; threatening words
名めい文もん句く
witty remark; well-worded saying; epigram; aphorism
売うり文もん句く
sales pitch; catchphrase
宣せん伝でん文もん句く
sales message; sales copy; advertising slogan

Show 4 more

文もん句くなく
undisputedly; perfectly; without complaint
文もん句くなし
undisputed; perfect; flawless
脅おどし文もん句く
threatening words; intimidating language
決きまり文もん句く
set phrase; stock phrase; cliché

Written forms

文もん句くUsage99%
Standard kanji spelling for both complaint and phrase senses.
もんくUsage1%
Kana spelling is common in casual writing, especially for the complaint sense.

Etymology

文 (writing, sentence) + 句 (phrase, clause). Originally referred to a phrase or wording, later extended to mean a complaint (finding fault with words).