[Nathan]

Ah, bother. 難しいですね。

I know the question is not directed at me, but I'll still through in my two cents!

Bother has many meanings. All based on context.

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1) Bother as "annoy" or "not annoy"
** A mosquito is flying around you, really close to your ears **
- "That mosquito is bothering me!"
** Kentaro is hitting/poking/interrupting his sister when she's working/watching tv**
- Kentaro's mother: "Kentaro, stop bothering your sister and do your homework."
- Kentaro's sister: "Yeah! Go away and stop bothering me!"
(Stop annoying her. Yeah, stop annoying me!)

** Kentaro's family is visiting his grandparents' hosue, and Kentaro is making lots of noise (like kids do!)**
- Okaasan -> "Kentaro! Be quiet! I'm sorry mother! He's not usually this loud."
- Obaasan -> "That's okay, it doesn't bother me. Let him play."
(I'm not annoyed)
**

2) Bother showing "effort", or "no effort"
**John wants to call his boss to say he will be late because his car won't start, but his phone isn't working because he didn't pay the phone bill. His wife Mary is angry at him**
- John: "How am I supposed to tell him now!?"
- Mary: "Well if you had bothered to pay the bill we could call him!"
(If you had done it, the situation would be different)

**Mary wants John to get in shape, but John is really lazy and loves junk food**
- John: "I know I should exercise, but usually I can't be bothered and I just go watch TV"
(I don't want to!)

**John has a lot of things to do at his house, but he is too tired because he worked 10 hours today**
- John: "Mary, I'll cut the grass tomorrow, I'm exhausted and can't be bothered to do it now."
(I'm too tired, I don't want to do it)

****Bother can be a noun too, not just a verb*****
- John: "Man, cutting the grass is such a bother! I'll just pay someone to do it."


**There is a loud party happening near Mary and John's house, and Mary wants them to be quiet. John doesn't think talking to them will work."
- Mary: "Those kids! I'm going to tell them to turn off that music so I can sleep!"
- John: "Why bother? They won't listen, just call the police." (It's not worth the effort, it won't work)

3) Bother as "a polite interruption when someone is doing something", usually used at the work place or talking to a superior.
** John wants to talk to his boss about taking vacation time, and his boss looks busy**
- John - (Knocks on the door)
- Boss - "Come in. John, what is it?"
- John - "Sorry to bother you, but could you spare a moment? I was wondering ..."
(I'm sorry to interrupt you)

4) Bother as "a worry"
**John and Mary see their friend Susan at the park. Susan is obviously worrying about something (frowning, scratching her head, confused look, etc)**
- Mary: "Hey John, isn't that Susan? Huh.. I wonder what's bothering her."
- John: "Well, lets go find out."

5) Bother as "a pain"
*John hurt his shoulder playing tennis earlier this morning*
- Doctor: "So John, what's seems to be the problem?"
- John: "Well, my shoulder has been bothering me all afternoon. I think I hurt it during my tennis game."


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As you can see, there are many ways to use bother!