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I tried reading explanations in Japanese on hinative, but they tend to use one
of these words to describe the other two.

Usually I only distinguish formal complaints (苦情) and verbal informal
complaints, and apparently there are at least three types of informal
complaints in Japanese.
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2018-03-23T08:40:49.177
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question
word-choice synonyms word-usage
What's the difference between complaints 不満 不平 文句?
不満 also means "unsatisfactory" (as in "unsatisfactory score"), and 文句 also
means "line; phrase" (as in "catchphrase").

When they mean "complaint", 不平 and 不満 are almost completely interchangeable.
The focus of 不平/不満 is unhappy _feeling_ rather than words. 不満 is relatively
more common, and 不平 is often used along with 不満
([不平不満](http://jisho.org/search/%E4%B8%8D%E5%B9%B3%E4%B8%8D%E6%BA%80)). 文句
focuses on verbal phrases of complaint you actually express. Therefore you can
say 不平/不満を抱える, 不平/不満を漏らす or 不平/不満な顔, but not ×文句を抱える, ×文句を漏らす nor ×文句な顔.
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2018-03-24T03:30:46.833
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answer
* **不満**  
_Dissatisfaction_ or _discontent_ , as literal as it reads. This word doesn't
necessarily mean _complaint_ , because it stands for an emotion and doesn't
need to be expressed.

  * **不平**  
_Complaint about bad, undue, or unfair **treatment**_. In theory, it doesn't
need to be expressed either, but modern usage seems mostly so. We also have a
combined word 不平不満 when people grow really bitter and twisted.

  * **文句**  
It's the easiest word among them that means _something to say against_. Yes,
it widely covers from _complaint_ to _disapproval_.

> 彼の実力を認めたくないやつらが文句をつけているにすぎない。  
>  _Just those who don't want to acknowledge his ability are criticizing it._

  * **苦情**  
_Complaint for remedy of the situation_. I don't think it's particularly
"formal" but imaginably you say this more to officials (but also to companies
for their products etc).

* * *

**PS**

  * **不服**  
The "formal complaints" reminded me of this term, which literally means
"insubordination" and used when you file objections to administrative
decisions: 不服[申立]{もうしたて} _motion for complaint_.
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2018-03-24T03:54:22.310
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answer