How to say "anguish" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 苦しみくるしみnounCovers anguish in its broadest sense: intense suffering or distress, physical or emotional. When you simply mean that someone is in anguish, this is the general word to reach for.
- 苦悩くのうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbAnguish as inner torment: mental or spiritual agony, the anguished state of someone agonizing over something. The suffering here is psychological rather than physical.
- 憂いうれいnounAnguish in its sorrowful, melancholy aspect — grief-laden distress rather than sharp torment. Choose it when the feeling is a heavy, mournful sadness more than acute pain.
- 悲嘆ひたんnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbAnguish as intense grief: deep sorrow, often with a note of lamentation. Use it when the anguish amounts to grieving — sorrow powerful enough to overwhelm.
- 悩みなやみnounReally 'worry' or 'troubles': concerns that weigh on the mind. It is seldom the word you want for anguish, lacking the intensity that 'anguish' implies.
Choose 「苦しみ」 for suffering in general, 苦悩 for mental torment, 「憂い」 for sorrowful melancholy, 悲嘆 for anguished grief, and avoid 「悩み」, which means worry rather than anguish.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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