いちゃもん

いちゃもん
noun
complaint; fault-finding; picking a fight
informalcommunication
1. unreasonable complaint; nitpicking; picking a quarrel
An unreasonable or unfounded complaint, often made to harass or bully someone. Implies that the complaint has little legitimate basis.
いちゃもんをつける。
To pick a fight; to make an unreasonable complaint.
酔(よ)っ払(ぱら)いにいちゃもんをつけられた。
A drunk person picked a fight with me.
そんないちゃもんをつけられても、こちらとしては困(こま)る。
Even if you make that kind of unreasonable complaint, there's nothing we can do about it.

A colloquial word for an unreasonable or baseless complaint, usually aimed at harassing or intimidating someone. Strongly negative — implies the complainer is being unreasonable on purpose.

Common collocations

  • いちゃもんをつける: to pick a fight; to nitpick; to make an unfounded complaint
  • いちゃもんをつけられる: to be picked on; to have unreasonable complaints directed at one

Similar words

  • 言(い)いがかり: false accusation; groundless complaint — similar but slightly more formal
  • 難癖(なんくせ): fault-finding; nitpicking — finding faults where there are none
  • クレーム: complaint — more neutral; can be legitimate
  • 文句(もんく): complaint — more general, can be reasonable or not

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Informal and colloquial. Not used in formal writing or polite speech.

Related Words

Compare: 難癖(なんくせ) (fault-finding)
Compare: クレーム (complaint)
Compare: 文句(もんく) (complaint)
general
Added 2026.4.2 0:28 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
21000/21251_ichamon