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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "complain" in Japanese?
文句を言う
monku wo iu
In Japanese, "complain" is 文句を言う (monku wo iu).
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Pronunciation
Mon-ku-wo-i-u is a phrase, five syllables, 'monku' rhymes with 'monk, coo'.
Writing and usage
文句を言う is written using kanji. It's a verb, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
天気の愚痴を言うのが好きだ。
tenki no guchi wo iu noga suki da.
He likes to complain about the weather.
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How to remember 文句を言う
Monku sounds like 'monk, coo' — even a monk might coo out a quiet complaint sometimes.
Related words
- whistle 口笛を吹く kuchibue wo fuku
- yawn あくびをする akubiwosuru
- hiccup しゃっくりする shakkurisuru
- blink まばたきをする mabatakiwosuru
- stretch 伸びをする nobi wosuru
- bend 曲げる mage ru
- kneel ひざまずく hizamazuku
- squat しゃがむ shagamu
- compare 比較する hikaku suru
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 文句を言う
How do you pronounce 文句を言う?
Mon-ku-wo-i-u is a phrase, five syllables, 'monku' rhymes with 'monk, coo'.
Is 文句を言う formal or casual?
文句を言う is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is 文句を言う written in Japanese?
文句を言う is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as monku wo iu.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Complain" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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