しんどい

しんどい
i-adjective
tiring; exhausting; tough
1. tiring; exhausting; tough; hard
Describes physical or mental exhaustion, or a situation that requires difficult effort. Originally a Kansai dialect word that has spread throughout Japan.
今日(きょう)仕事(しごと)がしんどかった。
Work was exhausting today.
階段(かいだん)(のぼ)るのがしんどい。
Climbing the stairs is tiring.
風邪(かぜ)(からだ)がしんどい。
My body feels weak from a cold.

ORIGIN:
Originally a Kansai (関西(かんさい)) dialect word that has become commonly used throughout Japan.

FORMS:

  • しんどい (dictionary)
  • しんどかった (past)
  • しんどくて (te-form)
  • しんどさ (noun: the difficulty/tiredness)

USAGE:

しんどい can describe:

  • Physical exhaustion
  • Mental fatigue
  • Difficult situations
  • Illness-related weakness

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • (つか)れた - tired (general)
  • だるい - sluggish, heavy (body feels heavy)
  • きつい - tough, demanding (work or situation)
  • 大変(たいへん) - difficult, hard (more formal)

NUANCE:
しんどい often implies a deeper exhaustion than simply (つか)れた, suggesting the effort is draining one's energy or the situation is difficult to handle.

REGISTER:
Casual. Very common in everyday conversation.