A Property of the Thing
These describe how easy something is to do with — a pen that writes well, a word that is hard to say. The judgement lands on the object, not on your ability.
- この本は読みやすい。(This book is easy to read.)
- この名前は覚えにくい。(This name is hard to remember.)
Formation
Attach to the ます stem:
| Verb | Stem | + やすい / にくい |
|---|---|---|
| 読む | 読み | 読みやすい |
| 使う | 使い | 使いやすい |
| 食べる | 食べ | 食べにくい |
| する | し | しにくい |
They Are い-Adjectives
Whatever the verb, the result conjugates like any い-adjective:
- 読みやすい / 読みやすくない / 読みやすかった
- 読みやすい本 (an easy-to-read book)
Not About Your Skill
This is the distinction worth holding on to:
| Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| この漢字は書きにくい | This kanji is awkward to write (its shape) |
| 漢字を書くのが下手 | I'm bad at writing kanji (my ability) |
Use にくい for the object; use のが下手 or 苦手 for yourself.
にくい vs づらい
Both mean "hard to," with a difference in cause:
- にくい — objective difficulty. 開けにくい瓶 (a bottle that's hard to open)
- づらい — it is unpleasant or painful for you. 言いづらい (hard to bring myself to say)
づらい carries reluctance; にくい is neutral.
Also Means "Unlikely To"
にくい can describe a low tendency:
- 壊れにくい (not easily broken — durable)
- 燃えにくい材料 (fire-resistant material)
This is common in product descriptions.