難い

Etymology 1
From. The meaning developed from to overtones of. Compare the similar development of 🇨🇬.

The meaning was already apparent in the , completed in the latter half of the 700s.

Adjective

 * 1)  difficult
 * , text here:

Usage notes
This term is seldom used as an independent term in modern Japanese. It appears much more commonly as a suffix, as described below.

Etymology 2
Shift in pronunciation from katai above, as this term became more of a fused suffix than an independent term.

Suffix

 * 1) difficult or hard to do
 * This suffix attaches to the of a verb to express the difficulty of doing the action.
 * 1) * c. 935: Tosa Nikki, page 3

Usage notes
Usually spelled in hiragana, with the kanji spelling usually reserved for formal contexts.

Derived terms

 * : special; worthy of being thankful for; welcome

Etymology 3
Derived as the suffixization of adjective. Cognate with.

Suffix

 * 1) difficult or hard to do
 * This suffix attaches to the of a verb to express the difficulty of doing the action.

Usage notes
More commonly spelled in hiragana, as.

Derived terms

 * : indistinct, hard to see
 * : ugly; ignominious