(きむずか)しい

きむずかしい
adjective (i)
hard to please, fussy, particular
1. hard to please, fussy, particular
Describes a person who is difficult to satisfy, often picky about details or easily displeased.
気難(きむずか)しい(ひと)だ。
He's a hard-to-please person.
あの先生(せんせい)気難(きむずか)しい(かお)をしていた。
That teacher had a stern expression on his face.
祖父(そふ)気難(きむずか)しくて、家族(かぞく)もなかなか(はな)しかけにくい。
My grandfather is so fussy that even the family finds it hard to approach him.

CONJUGATION:

  • Negative: 気難(きむずか)しくない
  • Past: 気難(きむずか)しかった
  • Te-form: 気難(きむずか)しくて
  • Adverbial: 気難(きむずか)しく

USAGE:
Used almost exclusively to describe people or their expressions/attitudes. 気難(きむずか)しい(かお) (a stern/difficult expression) is a very common collocation.

SIMILAR WORDS:
(むずか)しい describes general difficulty, while 気難(きむずか)しい specifically describes a person's temperament. 偏屈(へんくつ) (eccentric, stubborn) is stronger and more negative.