Translation guide
Describes someone who is selective or hard to please, often about small details. In Japanese, this is expressed through adjectives, verbs, and descriptive phrases that convey fussiness or particularity.
Describing someone who is selective or difficult about what they eat.
Literally 'has many likes and dislikes'. This is the most common and natural way to say someone is a picky eater.
彼は好き嫌いが多くて、野菜を全然食べない。
He's a picky eater and doesn't eat vegetables at all.
Describing someone who is very selective or hard to please in general, not just about food.
うるさい can sound negative, like 'complaining' or 'fussy', while こだわりが強い can be positive, implying 'discerning' or 'having high standards'. Use うるさい for annoying pickiness, and こだわりが強い for admirable particularity.
味にうるさい人
a person who is fussy about taste (negative nuance)
味にこだわりが強い人
a person who is particular about taste (positive nuance)
A noun meaning 'unbalanced diet' or 'picky eating'. Often used in formal or health-related contexts.
子供の偏食を直すのは難しい。
It's difficult to fix a child's picky eating habits.
Disliking a food without having tried it. More specific than general pickiness.
それは食わず嫌いだよ。一度食べてみたら？
That's just prejudice against food you haven't tried. Why not give it a taste?
Literally 'noisy', but commonly used to mean 'fussy' or 'picky' about things. Can be slightly negative.
彼は服にうるさい。
He's picky about clothes.
Means 'has strong preferences' or 'is particular'. Can be positive (discerning) or negative (fussy) depending on context.
彼女はコーヒーにこだわりが強い。
She's very particular about her coffee.
Verb meaning 'to pick and choose' or 'to be choosy'. Often used when someone is selective about people or opportunities.
彼は仕事を選り好みしすぎて、なかなか決まらない。
He's too picky about jobs and can't seem to decide.
Means 'hard to please' or 'fastidious'. Describes a person's temperament.
あの客は気難しいから、気をつけて。
That customer is picky, so be careful.
Means 'nervous' or 'sensitive', but can imply pickiness about cleanliness, order, or details.
彼は掃除に神経質だ。
He's picky about cleaning.