How to say "agony" in Japanese

• 苦痛くつうJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe straightforward word for agony as intense pain or suffering, physical or mental. Use it when the point is the painful experience itself — acute distress rather than worry or a run of hardships.
  苦痛くつうで彼かれの顔かおが歪ゆがんでいる。↗

  His face is distorted by pain.
• 受難じゅなんCommon
  noun, suru verbCovers agony as ordeals — sufferings one undergoes, often a stretch of trials rather than a single pang. It points to the hardship endured, not to raw physical or mental pain.
• 悩みなやみJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounReally means worry or troubles — mental distress rather than intense suffering. For agony in the strong sense it is seldom the word you want; reach for it only when the agony is essentially worry.
  それはぜいたくな悩なやみだよ。↗

  Gee, I wish I had that problem.

Use 苦痛 for agony as intense pain or suffering, 受難 for agony endured as ordeals and trials, and 「悩み」 only when the 'agony' is really worry or distress of mind.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 苦痛くつうpain
• 受難じゅなんsufferings
• 悩みなやみtrouble
• 悶えもだえagony
• 煩悶はんもんworry
• 懊悩おうのうanguish
• 懊悩煩悶おうのうはんもんanguish
• 煩悶懊悩はんもんおうのうanguish
• 苦患くげんhellish pain
• 苦悩くのう(mental) agony