How to say "feel" in Japanese

• 感ずるかんずるJLPT N2approx.Common
  ichidan verb (-zuru), transitive verb, intransitive verbCovers the mental sense of 'feel': to feel an emotion, sense something, or experience it. Reach for this when the feeling is inward rather than a matter of touch.
  人生じんせいから非常ひじょうな喜よろこびを感かんずる。↗

  I get a kick out of life.
• 質感しつかんCommon
  nounA noun, not a verb: the feel of a material, its texture. Use it when discussing how something made of a given material feels, rather than the act of feeling.
• 触れるふれるJLPT N3approx.Common
  ichidan verb, intransitive verbTactile feel: to touch something so as to feel it, as when checking a surface by hand. For emotional 'feel', 感ずる is the verb to reach for instead.
  何なんかが足あしに触ふれるのを感かんじた。↗

  I felt something touch my feet.
• 触るさわるJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verb, transitive verbAlso tactile: to touch or feel something with the hands, with a nuance of handling it. Think of it for putting hands on and handling things, alongside 触れる.
• がるJLPT N1approx.Common
  suffix, godan verbNot a plain 'feel' verb: it describes showing signs of a feeling, as observed from outside. Seldom what you want for stating one's own feelings; it really means to appear a certain way.
  私が早はやく去さるので彼かれらは残念ざんねんがった。↗

  My leaving early made them feel sorry.

Use 「感ずる」 for feeling or sensing emotions and experiences, 質感 for the feel of a material, 「触れる」 and 「触る」 for feeling things by touch, and 「がる」 for showing outward signs of a feeling.

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

• 感ずるかんずるto feel
• 質感しつかんfeel (of a material)
• 触れるふれるto touch
• 触るさわるto touch
• がるto show signs of being
• 感触かんしょくfeel (of something)
• 肌触りはだざわりfeel
• 手触りてざわりfeel
• 風合いふうあいtexture (cloth, fabric, paper)
• 感じるかんじるto feel
• 雰囲気ふんいきatmosphere
• 感じ取るかんじとるto perceive
• 触りさわりfeel
• 気がするきがするto feel (as if)
• 足触りあしざわりfeel (to the foot)
• 寝心地ねごこちcomfort when sleeping
• 肌質はだしつtexture
• 佇まいたたずまいappearance
• 触感しょっかん(tactile) feel
• 覚えるおぼえるto feel
• 知るしるto sense
• タッチtouch (of a painter, pianist, etc.)
• 催すもよおすto feel (sensation, emotion, call of nature, etc.)
• 色合いいろあいflavour
• 存じるぞんじるto think
• 存ずるぞんずるto think
• 思うおもうto feel
• うけるto sustain (damage)
• とするto feel (e.g. after sound symbolism or psychological experience word)