1.
somewhat difficult, overly complicated
Describes something that is unnecessarily complicated or hard to understand, often implying pretentiousness or excessive technicality.
小難しい話だな。
That's an overly complicated topic.
小難しい本ばかり読んでいる。
He only reads pretentiously difficult books.
彼の論文は小難しい言葉が多くて読みにくい。
His paper is hard to read because it's full of needlessly complicated words.
2.
nitpicky, hard to please, fussy
Describes a person who is particular, fastidious, or difficult to deal with. Often used to describe someone with a stern or unapproachable demeanor.
小難しい顔をしている。
He has a stern expression.
あの先生は小難しい人だ。
That teacher is a hard person to please.
小難しいことばかり言わないで、もっと簡単に説明してよ。
Stop being so pedantic and explain it more simply.
USAGE:
A softer or more colloquial variant of 難しい when used to describe something that is not genuinely difficult, but rather unnecessarily complex or fussy. The prefix 小~ adds a nuance of "somewhat" or "annoyingly."
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 小難しい話: overly complicated talk
- 小難しい顔: stern/difficult expression
- 小難しいことを言う: to say nitpicky things
- 小難しい本: pretentiously difficult book
Related Words
Related:
難しい (base form)