1.
fault-finding; nitpicking; unreasonable complaint
A baseless or trivial complaint made to find fault with something or someone. Often implies the complaint is unjustified or made with ulterior motives.
難癖をつけるな。
Stop nitpicking.
客が料理に難癖をつけてきた。
A customer started finding fault with the food.
あの上司は何かにつけて難癖をつけるので、部下たちは困っている。
That boss finds fault with everything, so the subordinates are at a loss.
USAGE: 難癖 almost always appears in the pattern 難癖をつける (to find fault with, to make an unreasonable complaint). The word carries a strong negative connotation — the complaint is seen as unjustified or petty.
PARTICLE PATTERNS:
- [target]に難癖をつける (to find fault with [something])
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 難癖をつける: to find fault, to nitpick
- 何かと難癖をつける: to constantly find fault
- 難癖をつけられる: to have fault found with oneself
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 難癖: unreasonable, unjustified fault-finding
- いちゃもん: picking a fight, making trouble (more colloquial)
- ケチをつける: to find fault, to criticize (colloquial)