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B1 adjective #6,000 mais comum 9 min de leitura

住みにくい

suminikui Top 6,000

Pratique Exemplos Notas e dicas 住みにくい em 30 segundos

Explicação 住みにくい in your Level:

At the A1 level, you can think of 住みにくい (suminikui) as a way to say a house or a place is 'not good' or 'bad' for living. You already know the word sumu (to live). When you add -nikui, it means 'difficult.' So, suminikui is 'difficult to live.' You might use this to talk about a house that is very small or a place that is very noisy. Even if you don't know the complex grammar yet, you can use it like a simple adjective: 'Kono ie wa suminikui desu' (This house is difficult to live in). It's a useful word when you want to explain why you want to move or why you don't like a certain area. Just remember it's the opposite of sumiyasui (easy to live in). Focus on using it with simple reasons like 'noisy' (urusai) or 'small' (semai).

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At the A2 level, you can start using 住みにくい (suminikui) to give reasons for your opinions about a city or an apartment. You can connect sentences using the -te form. For example: 'Machi ga urusakute, suminikui desu' (The town is noisy and difficult to live in). You should also learn the opposite, sumiyasui. At this level, you are beginning to understand that -nikui can be attached to many verbs to mean 'difficult to [verb].' Suminikui is one of the most common examples of this. You might hear it when people talk about the weather ('atsukute suminikui' - difficult to live in because it's hot) or about prices ('bukka ga takakute suminikui' - difficult to live in because prices are high). It's a great word for basic social conversations about where you live.

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At the B1 level, you should understand the nuance that 住みにくい (suminikui) usually refers to objective or physical difficulties. You should be able to distinguish it from sumizurai, which is more about emotional or social pressure. You can use suminikui in more complex structures, such as using ni totte to specify a group: 'Koreisha ni totte suminikui machi' (A town that is difficult for elderly people to live in). You can also use the noun-modifying form to talk about 'suminikui kankyo' (a difficult living environment). At this stage, you should be able to discuss urban issues or housing problems in Japan using this word, explaining that factors like lack of public transport or poor insulation make a place suminikui. You are moving beyond simple 'likes' and 'dislikes' to more objective descriptions of habitability.

At the B2 level, 住みにくい (suminikui) becomes a tool for discussing social and economic trends. You will encounter it in news articles about the 'declining birthrate and aging population' (shoushi koureika) and how certain regions are becoming suminikui due to a lack of infrastructure. You should be comfortable with its various forms, such as suminikuku naru (to become difficult to live in) and the conditional suminikukereba. You might also use it metaphorically to describe a 'suminikui yononaka' (a world/society that is hard to live in), referring to strict social rules or economic hardship. Your usage should reflect an understanding of the difference between physical discomfort and the broader 'difficulty of life' (ikizurusa), though suminikui can sometimes overlap with the latter in casual speech.

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At the C1 level, you should be able to use 住みにくい (suminikui) and its synonyms with precision in formal writing and debate. You can compare suminikui with technical terms like kyojusei ga hikui (low habitability) or seikatsu kiban ga zeijaku (weak living infrastructure). You should be able to analyze how the word is used in political discourse to criticize government policy or urban development. For example, you might argue that 'gentrification' makes a neighborhood suminikui for long-term residents. You should also be sensitive to the sociological implications of the word—how it describes the friction between an individual and their physical/social environment. Your mastery includes knowing when suminikui is the most appropriate term versus more specific adjectives like fuben (inconvenient) or fukai (unpleasant).

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At the C2 level, you possess a native-like grasp of 住みにくい (suminikui), including its use in literature and high-level social commentary. You understand how the word can be used to evoke a sense of alienation in a modern, hyper-regulated society. You can use it to discuss complex topics like 'urban decay,' 'environmental degradation,' and 'social exclusion.' You might explore the nuance of suminikui in the context of Japanese philosophy or aesthetics, where the relationship between a person and their 'ba' (place/field) is crucial. You can effortlessly switch between the objective suminikui and the subjective sumizurai to convey precise emotional and physical states. Your ability to use the word extends to creative writing, where you might use it to describe a dystopian future or a character's profound sense of displacement in their own home.

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Pratique Exemplos Notas e dicas

住みにくい em 30 segundos

Used for places that are physically or objectively hard to live in.
Formed from 'sumu' (live) + 'nikui' (difficult).
Commonly used to complain about noise, rent, or bad locations.
Distinguished from 'sumizurai' which is more about emotional/social difficulty.

The Japanese word 住みにくい (suminikui) is a compound adjective that describes a location, environment, or housing situation that is difficult, uncomfortable, or inconvenient to inhabit. It is formed by combining the i-stem of the verb sumu (to live) with the auxiliary adjective nikui (difficult to do). Unlike words that describe purely physical pain, suminikui often refers to the logistical, social, or environmental friction one feels when trying to establish a comfortable life in a specific place.

Morphology: The structure is [Verb Stem] + [Nikui]. In this case, 住む (sumu) becomes 住み (sumi), then adds にくい. This pattern is used for objective difficulty.
Objective vs. Subjective: While suminikui implies an objective difficulty (e.g., no grocery stores, high crime), its counterpart sumizurai is often used for psychological or social discomfort (e.g., mean neighbors).

都会は物価が高くて、非常に住みにくいと感じることがあります。(Tokai wa bukka ga takakute, hijō ni suminikui to kanjiru koto ga arimasu.)

Example: Cities can sometimes feel very difficult to live in due to high prices.

In a broader context, Japanese speakers use this word when discussing urban planning, environmental changes, or personal living conditions. For instance, if a neighborhood loses its only train station, it becomes suminikui. If a house has poor insulation and is freezing in the winter, it is suminikui. It is a vital word for expressing dissatisfaction with one's surroundings in a way that points to specific, often external, causes. The term can be applied to a single room, a building, a city, or even an entire country under certain economic or political conditions.

坂道が多いこの街は、高齢者にとって住みにくい場所だ。(Sakamichi ga ooi kono machi wa, kōreisha ni totte suminikui basho da.)

Usage Context: Commonly found in news reports about depopulation or in real estate reviews where tenants complain about thin walls or bad layouts.

The word also carries a sense of "unhabitability." If a place lacks the basic requirements for a decent standard of life, suminikui is the go-to adjective. It is less about "hating" a place and more about the functional "difficulty" of existing there day-to-day. This distinction is important in Japanese culture, where expressing direct dislike can be seen as too harsh; focusing on the "difficulty" of the action (living) makes the statement more objective and less like a personal attack on the location's owners or residents.

Using 住みにくい effectively requires understanding its grammatical placement as an i-adjective. It typically modifies a noun or acts as the predicate of a sentence. Because it deals with the concept of "living," it is frequently paired with particles like は (wa), が (ga), and にとって (ni totte) to specify for whom or why the place is difficult.

このアパートは壁が薄くて住みにくいです。(Kono apāto wa kabe ga usukute suminikui desu.)

This apartment is hard to live in because the walls are thin.

Common Pattern 1: [Place] + wa + [Reason] + de/te + suminikui: This describes the reason for the difficulty. Example: 'The town is noisy and (therefore) difficult to live in.'

When you want to specify a particular group for whom the living situation is hard, use ni totte. This is very common in social commentary. For example, a city with many stairs but no elevators is suminikui for wheelchair users. A country with a declining economy might be described as suminikui for young people.

最近の日本は、若者にとって住みにくい社会になりつつある。(Saikin no Nihon wa, wakamono ni totte suminikui shakai ni naritsutsu aru.)

In more formal or written contexts, you might see suminikui used to modify a noun directly. For example, suminikui kankyō (a difficult living environment). This is often used in scientific or sociological papers discussing habitat loss for animals or urban decay for humans. The word is incredibly versatile because "living" (sumu) is a broad concept that encompasses physical space, social interactions, and economic stability.

Common Pattern 2: [Noun] + toshite + suminikui: Meaning 'Difficult to live in as a [Noun]'. Example: 'Difficult to live in as a family home.'

ここは一人暮らしにはいいが、家族で住むには住みにくい。(Koko wa hitorigurashi ni wa ii ga, kazoku de sumu ni wa suminikui.)

Finally, consider the negative form suminikukunai (not difficult to live in). While grammatical, it is more common to simply use the opposite word sumiyasui (easy to live in). However, in a nuanced conversation, one might say "It's not that it's suminikui, it's just a bit far from the station," indicating that the core living experience is fine despite one drawback.

You will encounter 住みにくい in a variety of real-world scenarios, ranging from casual daily complaints to serious national news. In Japan, where living space is often limited and urban environments are dense, the quality of one's living environment is a constant topic of discussion. You'll hear it in the following contexts:

News and Documentaries: Reporters often use it when discussing 'Genkai Shūraku' (marginal villages) where aging populations and lack of services make the area suminikui for the remaining residents.

公共交通機関が廃止され、住民からは「住みにくい」との声が上がっています。(Public transport has been abolished, and residents are voicing that it is 'difficult to live in'.)

In the world of real estate, though agents might avoid the word, tenants and reviewers use it frequently. Online forums like Chiebukuro (Japan's Yahoo Answers) are full of questions like "Is this area suminikui?" or "I find my current apartment suminikui because of the noise, should I move?" Here, the word acts as a summary for various frustrations like bad insulation, lack of sunlight, or proximity to a loud factory.

日当たりが悪すぎて、この部屋は住みにくい。(The sunlight is so bad that this room is difficult to live in.)

Environmental and Animal Contexts: Biologists use it to describe how pollution or climate change makes a habitat suminikui for certain species. It is a standard term in ecology education.

Social media is another prime location for this word. Users often post about how the "world" or "society" has become suminikui (世の中が住みにくい - yononaka ga suminikui). In this metaphorical sense, it refers to a lack of freedom, excessive social pressure, or a feeling of being watched and judged (the 'iki-zurusa' or difficulty of living). While ikizurui is more common for psychological existential dread, suminikui is used when the environment itself—laws, social rules, economic conditions—makes the act of living a struggle.

監視カメラばかりで、なんだか住みにくい世の中になったね。(With nothing but surveillance cameras, the world has become somewhat difficult to live in, hasn't it?)

While 住みにくい seems straightforward, English speakers and learners often make several common errors regarding its nuance and grammar. The most frequent mistake is confusing it with sumizurai (住みづらい).

Mistake 1: Suminikui vs. Sumizurai: In Japanese, -nikui usually implies an objective or physical difficulty (e.g., stairs are hard to climb). -zurai often implies a psychological or emotional difficulty (e.g., it's hard to live here because I feel awkward around the neighbors). Using suminikui for a purely social problem can sound slightly off.

❌ 近所の人が怖くて住みにくい。(Incorrect: The neighbors are scary so it's objectively hard to live here.)
✅ 近所の人が怖くて住みづらい。(Correct: The neighbors are scary so it's psychologically hard to live here.)

Another common error is using suminikui when you actually mean fuben (inconvenient). While they are related, fuben is a na-adjective and describes the lack of convenience (no stores, bad bus schedule). Suminikui is the result of that inconvenience on your life. You can say "It's fuben because there's no station, and therefore it's suminikui." Using suminikui to describe a single tool or a specific short-term situation is incorrect; it must relate to the ongoing act of inhabiting a space.

Mistake 2: Overusing it for 'Bad': Don't use suminikui just to say a house is ugly or old. Use kitanai (dirty) or furui (old). Only use suminikui if those factors actually make the act of living there a struggle.

Grammatically, remember that suminikui is an adjective. Learners sometimes try to use it as a verb or forget to conjugate it properly in the past tense. It should be suminikukatta, not suminikui deshita (though the latter is common in very polite speech, the former is the standard adjectival conjugation). Also, avoid using it with the particle ni to mean 'difficultly live'; it's an adjective describing the state of the place, not an adverb describing the manner of living.

❌ 彼は住みにくく生活している。(He is living difficultly.)
✅ 彼は住みにくい家で生活している。(He is living in a house that is difficult to live in.)

To enrich your Japanese, it is helpful to know words that are similar to 住みにくい but carry different shades of meaning. Choosing the right one depends on whether the problem is physical, emotional, or purely logistical.

住みづらい (Sumizurai): As mentioned, this focuses on psychological or social difficulty. If you feel like you don't fit in with the local community, or if the atmosphere of the town is oppressive, sumizurai is the better choice. It reflects an internal struggle rather than an external obstacle.
不便 (Fuben): This means 'inconvenient'. A place can be fuben but still sumiyasui (easy to live in) if you enjoy the quiet. Suminikui is a stronger, more negative evaluation of the overall living experience.
居心地が悪い (Igochi ga warui): This means 'uncomfortable' in a more immediate, physical, or atmospheric sense. It's often used for a room, a chair, or a social gathering where you feel out of place. While suminikui is about the long-term act of living, igochi ga warui is about how you feel in the moment.

この部屋は狭くて居心地が悪い。(This room is cramped and uncomfortable.)

In academic or formal urban planning contexts, you might see 居住性が低い (Kyojū-sei ga hikui), which literally means 'low habitability.' This is a technical term used by architects. On the opposite end, 暮らしにくい (Kurashinikui) is almost a perfect synonym for suminikui, but kurashinikui covers a broader range of lifestyle activities beyond just the physical dwelling, including work-life balance and social services.

When talking about the weather, you might hear 過ごしにくい (Sugoshinikui), which means 'difficult to spend time in' or 'uncomfortable' due to heat or humidity. If a city is suminikui because of the weather, you might say "Natsu wa mushiatsukute sugoshinikui kara, koko wa suminikui" (Because the summer is humid and uncomfortable to spend time in, this place is difficult to live in).

How Formal Is It?

Curiosidade

In ancient texts, 'nikui' was often used to describe people's personalities (hateful), but its modern use with verbs like 'sumu' is much more objective and functional.

Guia de pronúncia

UK /sɯminikɯi/

US /suminikui/

The pitch accent is typically 'Heiban' (flat) or 'Nakadaka', depending on the dialect, but in standard Tokyo Japanese, it often rises after 'su' and stays relatively flat.

Rima com

Minikui (Ugly) Nikui (Difficult/Hateful) Yominikui (Hard to read) Tabenikui (Hard to eat) Wakarinikui (Hard to understand) Kikinikui (Hard to hear) Arukinikui (Hard to walk) Tsukainikui (Hard to use)

Erros comuns

Pronouncing 'ni' as 'nye'.
Over-stressing the 'i' at the end.
Making the 'u' sounds too long.
Confusing the pitch with 'sumiyasui'.
Dropping the 'i' in 'sumi'.

Nível de dificuldade

Leitura 2/5

Kanji is simple (住), and the grammar pattern -nikui is standard JLPT N4/N3.

Escrita 2/5

The kanji for 'sumu' is basic. Conjugating the i-adjective is the main task.

Expressão oral 3/5

Requires nuance to distinguish from 'sumizurai' and 'fuben'.

Audição 2/5

Commonly used in news and casual speech; easy to recognize.

O que aprender depois

Pré-requisitos

住む (Sumu) にくい (Nikui) 家 (Ie) 町 (Machi) 不便 (Fuben)

Aprenda a seguir

住みやすい (Sumiyasui) 住み心地 (Sumigochi) 住みづらい (Sumizurai) 居住 (Kyojū) 定住 (Teijū)

Avançado

世知辛い (Sechigarai) 生きづらさ (Ikizurusa) 限界集落 (Genkai Shūraku) 都市計画 (Toshi Keikaku) 居住性 (Kyojūsei)

Gramática essencial

Verb Stem + にくい (Nikui)

このペンは書きにくい (This pen is hard to write with).

Adjective + くなる (Become)

住みにくくなる (To become hard to live in).

Noun + にとって (For someone)

私にとって住みにくい (Hard for me to live in).

Adjective + そう (Seems like)

住みにくそうな部屋 (A room that looks hard to live in).

Adjective + ければ (Conditional)

住みにくければ、引っ越せばいい (If it's hard to live in, you should just move).

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Exemplos por nível

この部屋は狭くて住みにくいです。

This room is small and difficult to live in.

Using -te form to connect 'small' and 'difficult to live in.'

古い家は冬、住みにくいです。

Old houses are difficult to live in during winter.

Topic marker 'wa' used with 'fuyu' (winter).

ここはうるさいから、住みにくい。

It's noisy here, so it's hard to live.

Using 'kara' to show reason.

住みにくいアパートですね。

It's a difficult apartment to live in, isn't it?

Adjective modifying the noun 'apāto'.

坂が多い町は住みにくい。

Towns with many hills are difficult to live in.

Relative clause 'saka ga ooi' modifying 'machi'.

暑い国は私には住みにくいです。

Hot countries are difficult for me to live in.

'Watashi ni wa' means 'for me'.

駅が遠いと住みにくい。

If the station is far, it's hard to live.

Conditional 'to' used for natural consequences.

住みにくい場所には行きたくない。

I don't want to go to a place that is difficult to live in.

Modifying the noun 'basho'.

スーパーが近くにないので、住みにくいです。

There is no supermarket nearby, so it's difficult to live.

Reason 'node' (because) is more polite than 'kara'.

物価が高くなって、住みにくくなりました。

Prices became high, and it became difficult to live.

-ku naru (to become).

この町は夜、暗くて住みにくい。

This town is dark at night and hard to live in.

Adjective 'kurai' in -te form.

子供にとって、ここは住みにくいかもしれない。

This place might be difficult for children to live in.

'ni totte' (for [someone]) + 'kamoshirenai' (might).

住みにくい家をリフォームしたい。

I want to renovate my difficult-to-live-in house.

Verb 'tai' form (want to).

交通が不便だと住みにくいと感じます。

I feel it's hard to live if transportation is inconvenient.

'...to kanjiru' (to feel that...).

冬の北海道は、慣れないと住みにくい。

Hokkaido in winter is hard to live in if you aren't used to it.

'narenai to' (if you don't get used to it).

もっと住みにくいところもありますよ。

There are also places that are even harder to live in.

Comparative 'motto' (more).

治安が悪化すると、急に住みにくくなる。

When public safety worsens, it suddenly becomes hard to live.

Conditional 'to' expressing cause and effect.

バリアフリーではないので、高齢者には住みにくい。

Since it's not barrier-free, it's hard for the elderly to live in.

'node' for reason + 'ni wa' for target group.

都会の喧騒が苦手な人には、東京は住みにくい場所だ。

For people who dislike the hustle and bustle of the city, Tokyo is a difficult place to live.

Relative clause describing the person.

最近、税金が上がって住みにくい世の中になった。

Recently, taxes went up and the world has become hard to live in.

'yononaka' used for 'the world/society'.

住みにくいと感じたら、引っ越しを考えるべきだ。

If you feel it's hard to live, you should consider moving.

'beki da' (should).

このマンションは管理が悪くて住みにくい。

This apartment building is hard to live in because the management is bad.

Noun 'kanri' (management).

湿気が多い部屋は、健康的にも住みにくい。

A room with high humidity is also difficult to live in from a health perspective.

'...teki ni mo' (also from a ... perspective).

住みにくい環境を改善するために、住民が話し合った。

Residents discussed to improve the difficult living environment.

'tame ni' (in order to).

過疎化が進む農村は、若者にとって住みにくい現状がある。

In rural villages where depopulation is progressing, there is a reality that it's hard for young people to live.

Complex noun phrase '...genjō ga aru'.

家賃の高騰により、ロンドンは非常に住みにくい都市となった。

Due to skyrocketing rents, London has become an extremely difficult city to live in.

'ni yori' (due to).

政治的な混乱が続くと、国民にとって住みにくい国になる。

If political turmoil continues, the country becomes difficult for its citizens to live in.

Conditional 'to' with 'tsuzuku' (to continue).

住みにくいと感じる原因は、人によって様々だ。

The reasons for feeling that a place is hard to live in vary from person to person.

'hito ni yotte' (depending on the person).

日照権の問題で、この地域は住みにくくなってしまった。

Due to issues with sunlight rights, this area has unfortunately become difficult to live in.

'-te shimatta' (regrettable completion).

インフラが整っていない地域は、生活が住みにくい。

Areas where infrastructure is not well-maintained are difficult to live in.

Relative clause 'infura ga totonotte inai'.

住みにくい世の中を嘆くよりも、行動を起こすべきだ。

Rather than lamenting a difficult world, one should take action.

'...yori mo' (rather than).

彼女は住みにくい都会を離れ、田舎へ移住した。

She left the difficult-to-live-in city and migrated to the countryside.

Verb 'hanare' (leaving) in continuative form.

都市開発によって、かつての情緒が失われ、住みにくい街へと変貌した。

Due to urban development, the former atmosphere was lost, and it transformed into a city difficult to live in.

'...e to henbō shita' (transformed into...).

経済格差の拡大は、中間層にとっても住みにくい社会を生み出している。

The widening economic gap is creating a society that is difficult to live in even for the middle class.

'...wo umidashite iru' (is creating...).

排他的なコミュニティは、外部の人間にとって極めて住みにくい。

Exclusive communities are extremely difficult for outsiders to live in.

'haitateki' (exclusive/exclusionary).

住みにくい環境下での生活は、精神衛生に多大な悪影響を及ぼす。

Living in a difficult environment has a significant negative impact on mental health.

'...ni eikyō wo oyobosu' (to exert influence on...).

行政の不作為が、この地域を住みにくい場所にしていると言わざるを得ない。

I have to say that the government's inaction is making this region a difficult place to live.

'...to iwazaru wo enai' (cannot help but say).

住みにくいと感じる主観的な要因を、客観的なデータで分析する。

Analyze subjective factors of feeling that a place is hard to live in using objective data.

Contrast between 'shukanteki' (subjective) and 'kyokanteki' (objective).

過度な規則に縛られた社会は、自由を愛する者には住みにくい。

A society bound by excessive rules is hard to live in for those who love freedom.

'...ni shibarareta' (bound by...).

地球温暖化により、将来的に多くの地域が住みにくい環境になるだろう。

Due to global warming, many regions will likely become difficult living environments in the future.

Future conjecture 'darō'.

高度にシステム化された現代社会は、皮肉にも人間にとって住みにくい場所となり果てた。

Ironically, the highly systematized modern society has ended up becoming a difficult place for humans to live.

'...to narihateta' (ended up in a miserable state).

住みにくいという感覚は、単なる物理的不便さを超え、実存的な不安へと繋がっている。

The sensation of it being 'difficult to live' transcends mere physical inconvenience and connects to existential anxiety.

'...wo koe' (transcending...).

監視社会の到来は、プライバシーを重んじる市民にとって、この上なく住みにくい環境を強いる。

The arrival of a surveillance society forces a peerlessly difficult environment upon citizens who value privacy.

'...wo shiiru' (to force...).

文化的摩擦が絶えない多民族国家において、調和を欠いた地域は住みにくいものとなる。

In multi-ethnic nations where cultural friction is constant, regions lacking harmony become difficult to live in.

'...mono to naru' (becomes a thing that...).

「住みにくい」という一言に凝縮された、都市住民の沈黙の叫びを汲み取る必要がある。

It is necessary to grasp the silent cry of urban residents condensed into the single word 'suminikui'.

'...ni gyōshuku sareta' (condensed into...).

資本の論理が優先される街づくりは、しばしば生活者にとって住みにくい空間を生み出す。

Urban planning that prioritizes the logic of capital often creates spaces that are difficult for residents to live in.

'shihon no ronri' (logic of capital).

住みにくい環境を宿命として受け入れるか、あるいは抗うか、それが現代人の命題である。

Whether to accept a difficult environment as fate or to resist it—that is the proposition for modern people.

'...ka, aruiwa ...ka' (either ... or ...).

かつてのユートピア的思想は、今や住みにくいディストピアへと変容しつつある。

Former utopian ideals are now transforming into a difficult-to-live-in dystopia.

'...tsutsu aru' (in the process of...).

Colocações comuns

非常に住みにくい

住みにくい世の中

住みにくい環境

高齢者に住みにくい

物価が高くて住みにくい

住みにくい家

どんどん住みにくくなる

住みにくいと感じる

住みにくい都市

住みにくい原因

Frases Comuns

住みにくいったらありゃしない

— Extremely difficult to live in (emphatic). It expresses strong frustration.

このアパートは狭くて、住みにくいったらありゃしない。

住みにくいにもほどがある

— There's a limit to how difficult it can be to live here. Used when something is excessively bad.

こんなに騒がしいのは、住みにくいにもほどがある。

住みにくい街ランキング

— Ranking of the most difficult cities to live in. Often seen in magazines.

住みにくい街ランキングで一位になってしまった。

正直、住みにくい

— To be honest, it's hard to live here. Used to share a blunt opinion.

便利だけど、正直、住みにくいと感じる。

どこも住みにくい

— Everywhere is hard to live in. Expresses a general sense of pessimism.

お金がないと、どこも住みにくい。

住みにくいなりに

— In its own difficult way. Used to describe adapting to a bad situation.

住みにくいなりに、工夫して暮らしている。

住みにくいからこそ

— Precisely because it's hard to live in. Often followed by a positive action.

住みにくいからこそ、住民同士の絆が強い。

一見住みにくい

— At first glance, it's hard to live in. Implies there might be hidden benefits.

一見住みにくいが、実は静かで良い場所だ。

住みにくいことこの上ない

— Nothing could be more difficult to live in. Superlative negative evaluation.

冬の寒さは、住みにくいことこの上ない。

住みにくい世の中を生き抜く

— To survive in a difficult world. A common phrase in self-help or social commentary.

住みにくい世の中を生き抜く知恵が必要だ。

Frequentemente confundido com

住みにくい vs 住みづらい

Sumizurai is for psychological difficulty; Suminikui is for physical/objective difficulty.

住みにくい vs 不便

Fuben is 'inconvenient'; Suminikui is the broader 'difficult to live in' result.

住みにくい vs 過ごしにくい

Sugoshinikui is about the weather or a short stay; Suminikui is about long-term living.

Expressões idiomáticas

"住めば都"

— Wherever you live, you come to love it. This is the opposite sentiment to 'suminikui'.

最初は住みにくいと思ったが、住めば都だ。

Proverb

"世知辛い世の中"

— A hard, calculating, or stingy world. Often used alongside 'suminikui'.

世知辛い世の中で、本当に住みにくい。

Common Idiom

"肩身が狭い"

— To feel small or ashamed. Can lead to a place being 'suminikui' socially.

肩身が狭い思いをして、ここは住みにくい。

Psychological

"身の置き所がない"

— To have no place to go or feel out of place. Describes an extreme 'suminikui' feeling.

どこに行っても身の置き所がなく、住みにくい。

Literary

"住みつく"

— To settle down. If a place is 'suminikui', one might not 'sumitsuku'.

住みにくい場所には、誰も住みつかない。

Neutral

"住み分ける"

— To coexist by sharing or dividing space. Used when an area is 'suminikui' for one group.

動物と人間が住み分けないと、お互い住みにくい。

Ecological/Social

"住み替え"

— Moving to a new house. The solution to a 'suminikui' situation.

住みにくいので、住み替えを検討している。

Real Estate

"住みよい"

— Good to live in. The positive counterpart to 'suminikui'.

住みよい社会を目指す。

Political/Formal

"住み慣れる"

— To get used to living somewhere. Can make a 'suminikui' place better.

住み慣れれば、そんなに住みにくくない。

Neutral

"住み込み"

— Live-in (job). If the conditions are bad, it's 'suminikui'.

住み込みの仕事だが、部屋が住みにくい。

Work

Fácil de confundir

住みにくい vs 生きにくい (Ikinikui)

Both mean 'hard to live.'

Ikinikui is existential (hard to exist/survive as a human), while suminikui is about the place/residence.

この社会は生きにくい (Society is hard to exist in) vs この街は住みにくい (This town is hard to live in).

住みにくい vs 暮らしにくい (Kurashinikui)

Very similar meaning.

Kurashinikui focuses more on lifestyle and daily routines; suminikui focuses more on the physical dwelling/location.

家賃が高くて暮らしにくい。

住みにくい vs 住み心地が悪い (Sumigochi ga warui)

Both describe negative living situations.

Sumigochi ga warui is about the 'feeling' or 'comfort' (like a bad mattress), while suminikui is about the 'difficulty' (like no water).

この家は住み心地が悪い。

住みにくい vs 入りにくい (Irinikui)

Similar sound.

Irinikui means 'hard to enter.'

この店は入りにくい。

住みにくい vs 見にくい (Minikui)

Similar sound.

Minikui means 'hard to see.' (Not to be confused with 'ugly' which is also 'minikui').

字が小さくて見にくい。

Padrões de frases

[Place] wa [Adjective-te] suminikui desu.

この家は狭くて住みにくいです。

[Reason] node, suminikui desu.

スーパーが遠いので、住みにくいです。

[Person] ni totte, [Place] wa suminikui.

お年寄りにとって、この街は住みにくい。

suminikui [Noun]

住みにくい環境を変えたい。

[Reason] de, suminikuku naru.

家賃の上昇で、住みにくくなる。

suminikui to kanjiru.

最近、都会が住みにくいと感じる。

[Noun] toshite suminikui.

生活の拠点として住みにくい。

suminikui to iwazaru wo enai.

ここは住みにくいと言わざるを得ない。

Família de palavras

Substantivos

住み心地 (Sumigochi) - Comfort of living

住まい (Sumai) - Residence/Home

住所 (Jūsho) - Address

Verbos

住む (Sumu) - To live

住まわせる (Sumawaseru) - To let someone live

Adjetivos

住みよい (Sumiyoi) - Good to live in

住みやすい (Sumiyasui) - Easy to live in

Relacionado

住居 (Jūkyo) - Housing

定住 (Teijū) - Settlement

移住 (Ijū) - Migration

居住 (Kyojū) - Residence

住民 (Jūmin) - Residents

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Como usar

frequency

High, especially in discussions about housing, urban life, and the economy.

Erros comuns

Using 'suminikui' for a broken object. → Tsukainikui (Hard to use).
Suminikui is only for the act of living. If a tool is bad, use tsukainikui.
Saying 'suminikui desu deshita'. → Suminikukatta desu.
I-adjectives don't use 'desu deshita' for the past tense.
Using 'suminikui' for psychological stress with people. → Sumizurai.
If the difficulty is emotional or social, sumizurai is more natural.
Confusing 'suminikui' with 'ikinikui'. → Suminikui (for place), Ikinikui (for life in general).
Ikinikui is much heavier and refers to the struggle of existence.
Using 'suminikui' as a noun without 'sa'. → Suminikusa (The difficulty of living).
To make it a noun, you must add the suffix -sa.

Dicas

Conjugate as an I-Adjective

Remember that 'suminikui' ends in 'i' and follows all i-adjective rules. Past: suminikukatta. Negative: suminikukunai. Adverbial: suminikuku.

Focus on the 'Reason'

When using 'suminikui', always try to provide a reason using the -te form or 'node/kara'. It makes your Japanese sound more complete and logical.

Use with 'Ni totte'

To sound like a more advanced speaker, specify who is finding it difficult by using 'ni totte' (for...). e.g., 'Gaikokujin ni totte suminikui'.

Avoid Direct Insults

In Japan, calling a place 'suminikui' is a strong negative statement. Use 'sumi-nikusa wo kanjiru' (I feel a difficulty in living) to sound more polite and less aggressive.

Real Estate Context

If you are looking for an apartment in Japan, you might ask 'Koko wa suminikuku nai desu ka?' (Is it not hard to live here?) to check for hidden issues like noise.

Listen for 'Nikui'

Once you master 'suminikui', you will start hearing '-nikui' everywhere (tabenikui, yominikui, etc.). It's a very productive suffix.

Kanji usage

Always use the kanji 住 for 'sumi'. Writing it only in hiragana makes it look like a beginner's sentence. The kanji is N5 level, so it's expected.

The 'Tte' Particle

In casual speech, people say 'Suminikui tte' (They say it's hard to live in) when reporting rumors about a certain neighborhood.

Societal Critique

Use 'suminikui yononaka' when you want to complain about the world in general. It's a very common 'old person' or 'stressed person' phrase.

Sumi-Ink

Think of 'Sumi' (ink) and 'Nikui' (difficult). Living in a room covered in ink would be 'suminikui'!

Memorize

Mnemônico

Imagine a house with 'Sumi' (ink) spilled everywhere. It's 'Nikui' (hateful/difficult) to clean and live there. Sumi + Nikui = Suminikui.

Associação visual

A person trying to sleep in a tiny room with a giant loud speaker right outside the window.

Word Web

Sumu (Live) Nikui (Hard) Ie (House) Machi (Town) Fuben (Inconvenient) Urusai (Noisy) Semai (Cramped) Bukka (Prices)

Desafio

Try to list three reasons why your current city might be 'suminikui' for a penguin. Then, list three reasons why it is 'sumiyasui' for you.

Origem da palavra

Derived from the Old Japanese verb 'sumu' (to dwell) and the auxiliary 'nikui'. The word 'nikui' originally meant 'hateful' or 'disagreeable' in the Heian period, but evolved into a suffix meaning 'physically difficult to perform an action.'

Significado original: To have a dwelling that is disagreeable or difficult to maintain.

Japonic

Contexto cultural

Be careful when calling someone's hometown 'suminikui' as it can be taken as an insult to their community. Use it for your own situation or general social issues.

In English, we might say a place is 'unlivable' or 'a tough place to live,' but 'suminikui' is often used for much milder inconveniences that wouldn't warrant the word 'unlivable.'

Natsume Soseki's 'Kusamakura' famously begins with 'It is hard to live in this world' (Tokaku ni hito no yo wa suminikui). News segments on 'Genkai Shūraku' (Marginal Villages). Real estate sites like SUUMO or LIFULL HOME'S.

Pratique na vida real

Contextos reais

Moving House

今の家は住みにくい。
住みにくい理由は何ですか？
ここは住みにくそうですね。
住みにくいので引っ越します。

Urban Planning News

住みにくい街の改善。
インフラ不足で住みにくい。
高齢化で住みにくくなる。
住みにくい環境の調査。

Weather Complaints

夏が暑すぎて住みにくい。
雪が多くて住みにくい。
湿気がすごくて住みにくい。
気候のせいで住みにくい。

Economic Hardship

物価高で住みにくい。
家賃が高くて住みにくい。
税金が上がって住みにくい。
貧困層には住みにくい。

Ecological Discussion

動物にとって住みにくい森。
環境破壊で住みにくい。
汚染された海は住みにくい。
生息地が住みにくくなる。

Iniciadores de conversa

"最近、この街は住みにくいと感じることはありますか？ (Do you feel this town has become hard to live in recently?)"

"今まで住んだ中で、一番住みにくい場所はどこでしたか？ (Where was the most difficult place you've ever lived?)"

"どんな理由があると、家が住みにくいと思いますか？ (What reasons do you think make a house difficult to live in?)"

"東京は外国人にとって住みにくい場所だと思いますか？ (Do you think Tokyo is a difficult place for foreigners to live?)"

"将来、日本はもっと住みにくい国になるでしょうか？ (Do you think Japan will become a more difficult country to live in in the future?)"

Temas para diário

今の自分の住んでいる環境で、少し「住みにくい」と感じる点を書き出してみましょう。 (Write down the things you find slightly 'difficult to live with' in your current environment.)

もし自分が住みにくい街の市長だったら、どうやって改善しますか？ (If you were the mayor of a difficult-to-live-in city, how would you improve it?)

「住みにくい」けれど離れられない場所について、その理由を書いてください。 (Write about a place that is 'hard to live in' but you cannot leave, and the reasons why.)

100年後の地球は、人間にとって住みにくい場所になっていると思いますか？ (Do you think the Earth 100 years from now will be a difficult place for humans to live?)

あなたが理想とする「全く住みにくくない家」はどんな家ですか？ (What kind of house is your ideal 'completely not-difficult-to-live-in' home?)

Perguntas frequentes

10 perguntas

No, 'suminikui' is for places or environments. If you want to say a person is hard to live with, you should say '一緒に住みにくい' (issho ni suminikui) or '付き合いにくい' (tsukiainikui). Using just 'suminikui' for a person would be confusing.

The suffix '-nikui' usually points to an objective or physical difficulty, like a lack of shops or thin walls. The suffix '-zurai' (from 'tsurai') points to a psychological or emotional difficulty, like feeling awkward because of a social situation. In many cases, they are used interchangeably, but '-nikui' is more common for physical environment issues.

It is not inherently rude, but calling someone's house or hometown 'suminikui' can be very offensive. It is better to use it for your own house or when discussing general social problems. If you must use it, add 'chotto' to soften the blow.

You use the form 'suminikuku naru'. For example: 'Saikin, kono machi wa suminikuku narimashita' (Recently, this town has become hard to live in).

Yes, you can say 'Atsukute suminikui' (It's hot and hard to live here). However, 'sugoshinikui' (hard to spend time) is also very common for weather-related discomfort.

It is rarely used in direct business transactions, but it appears in urban development reports, real estate analysis, and economic discussions regarding the workforce's living standards.

The most common opposite is 'sumiyasui' (easy/comfortable to live in). You can also use 'sumiyoi' in more formal or literary contexts.

Yes, it is frequently used in ecology to describe how environmental changes make a habitat difficult for animals to inhabit. Example: 'Kawa ga yogorete, sakana ni totte suminikui' (The river is dirty and hard for fish to live in).

The grammar pattern [Verb Stem + nikui] is typically taught at the N4 level. The specific word 'suminikui' is common in N3 and N2 reading materials.

In very polite speech, people say 'suminikui deshita,' but the grammatically correct past tense for an i-adjective is 'suminikukatta desu.' Use the latter to be safe.

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