How to say "distress" in Japanese

• 苦しみくるしみCommon
  nounThe broadest and most general choice: pain, anguish, or distress felt inside, whether physical or emotional. Use it when you simply mean suffering itself rather than a particular hardship or plight.
  私達わたしたちは他人たにんの苦くるしみに同情どうじょうするべきだ。↗

  We should feel for the pains of others.
• 苦難くなんCommon
  nounDistress viewed as hardship to be endured: trials and adversities that beset someone over a stretch of time. Fits talk of the hardships and trials a person or people pass through.
  彼かれ等らは多おおくの苦難くなんをたえしのんだ。↗

  They endured many difficulties.
• 窮状きゅうじょうCommon
  nounDistress as a plight: a wretched condition someone is in, the state of being in dire straits. It points to the circumstances themselves rather than the inner feeling.
• 苦渋くじゅうCommon
  suru verb, intransitive verb, no-adjectiveBitterness and anguish welling up inside; distress of the heart rather than outward hardship. Typical of the anguish behind a wrenching decision or a face clouded with bitterness.
  だからまあ、学生がくせい会かいとしても苦渋くじゅうの決断けつだんてやつなんだ。わかってやってくれ。↗

  So, well, it's a bitter decision for the student council to make as well. Give 'em a break.
• 憂き目うきめCommon
  nounDistress as bitter experiences one undergoes: misery and grief that befall a person. It suits talk of someone who has known more than their share of hardship and sorrow.
  後あとで憂き目うきめをみる。↗

  This will bring you to grief.

Choose 「苦しみ」 for suffering or anguish in general, 苦難 for hardships and trials endured, 窮状 for a wretched plight or dire straits, 苦渋 for bitter inner anguish, and 「憂き目」 for bitter experiences that befall one.

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

• 苦しみくるしみpain
• 苦難くなんsuffering
• 窮状きゅうじょうdistress
• 苦渋くじゅうbitterness
• 憂き目うきめbitter experience
• 難渋なんじゅうsuffering
• 痛みいたみpain
• 悩みなやみtrouble
• 困難こんなんdifficulty
• 苦痛くつうpain
• 苦悩くのう(mental) agony
• 遭難そうなん(meeting with) disaster
• 憂いうれいsorrow
• 苦境くきょうdifficult situation
• 苦衷くちゅうdistress
• 窮迫きゅうはくfinancial difficulty
• 塗炭とたんmisery
• 危殆きたいdanger
• 塗炭の苦しみとたんのくるしみmisery
• 憂患ゆうかんsorrow
• 憂苦ゆうくtrouble
• 憂い事うれいごとbitter experience
• 苦しさくるしさpain
• 苦患くげんhellish pain
• 苦くpain
• 危難きなんperil
• 苦しめるくるしめるto harass