How to say "flu" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 風邪かぜnounPrimarily means the common cold, but its glosses also cover flu; in everyday speech people often call flu just 風邪, e.g. reporting feeling feverish and unwell without a diagnosis.ただの風邪でしょう。↗You probably just have a cold.
- nounThe specific word for influenza; use it when the illness is diagnosed as flu or when discussing flu seasons and epidemics, rather than an ordinary cold.
Use 風邪 for colds including mild flu when speaking casually, and 「インフルエンザ」 for influenza proper, especially diagnosed or epidemic flu.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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