くどい

くどい
i-adjective
persistent; long-winded; heavy (taste)
descriptive
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Presentくどいくどくない
Pastくどかったくどくなかった
て formくどくてくどくなくて
Adverbialくどく—
Conditional ばくどければくどくなければ
Conditional たらくどかったらくどくなかったら
1. persistent, repetitive, long-winded
Describes speech or behavior that is annoyingly repetitive or goes on too long, nagging or belaboring a point.
説明(せつめい)がくどい。
The explanation is long-winded.
くどいようだが、もう一度(いちど)言(い)う。
I know I'm repeating myself, but I'll say it once more.
同(おな)じことを何度(なんど)も言(い)われてくどいと感(かん)じた。
Being told the same thing over and over, I felt it was annoyingly repetitive.
2. heavy, rich, overpowering (taste/color)
Describes food that is too rich or heavy, or colors/patterns that are too intense or garish.
この料理(りょうり)は味(あじ)がくどい。
This dish has a heavy taste.
バターがくどくて食(た)べられない。
It's too rich with butter — I can't eat it.
年(とし)を取(と)ると、くどい味(あじ)の料理(りょうり)が苦手(にがて)になる。
As you get older, heavy-tasting food becomes harder to handle.

I-adjective. くどい → くどくない (negative) → くどく (adverbial) → くどかった (past).

Common patterns

  • くどいようだが: I know I'm being repetitive, but...
  • 味(あじ)がくどい: the taste is too rich/heavy
  • 色(いろ)がくどい: the colors are too garish/loud

Nuance: Always negative. In sense 1, it implies the speaker finds the repetition annoying. In sense 2, it suggests the taste or appearance is overwhelming and unpleasant, not refined.

Similar words

  • しつこい: persistent, pushy (people/behavior; also food)
  • こってり: rich, heavy (food — more neutral, can be positive)

Related Words

Synonym: しつこい (persistent, insistent)
Compare: こってり (rich, heavy (food)
Compare: 理屈(りくつ)っぽい (argumentative)
Compare: ねちっこい (persistent)
Compare: 甘(あま)ったるい (cloyingly sweet)
general
Added 2026.2.6 9:35 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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