How to say "hurt" in Japanese

• 痛むいたむJLPT N1approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe verb for pain itself: a tooth, stomach, or wound that hurts or aches. The part that hurts is the subject, so this covers 'my legs hurt' and 'it aches'.
  彼かれはいま歯はが痛いたむのでよくかむことができない。↗

  He can't chew well, because he has a toothache now.
• 痛めるいためるJLPT N1approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbThe transitive counterpart of 痛む: to hurt or injure something and cause pain, most often a part of the body. Use it for 'I hurt my knee' or 'I hurt my back'.
  彼かれは氷こおりの上うえで転ころんで脚あしを傷いためた。↗

  He fell down on the ice and hurt his leg.
• 損なうそこなうJLPT N1approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verb'Hurt' here means harm or damage, not pain: to impair or spoil something, as when a scandal hurts a reputation or carelessness damages trust. It does not cover an aching body part.
• 損ねるそこねるCommon
  ichidan verb, transitive verbA close partner of 損なう for harming or wrecking something; with people it often amounts to hurting their feelings or giving offense. Physical pain calls for 痛む or 痛める instead.
  彼かれは機嫌きげんをそこねている。↗

  He is in an angry mood.
• 損じるそんじるCommon
  ichidan verb, intransitive verbThis verb also matches 'hurt' in its harm-or-damage sense, much like 損なう. For that sense 損なう is the usual choice, so this is seldom the word you want for 'hurt'.
  僕ぼくの行為こういで彼かれは機嫌きげんを損そんじた。↗

  My behavior put him out of humor.

Use 「痛む」 for pain you feel and 「痛める」 for hurting or injuring a body part; 「損なう」, 「損ねる」, and 「損じる」 render 'hurt' as harm or damage to something, with 「損なう」 the usual choice.

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

• 痛むいたむto hurt
• 痛めるいためるto hurt
• 損なうそこなうto harm
• 損ねるそこねるto harm
• 損じるそんじるto harm
• 苦しめるくるしめるto torment
• 害するがいするto injure
• ヒリつくto hurt
• けがをしたhurt
• ダメージを与えるダメージをあたえるto inflict damage
• 害すがいすto injure
• 故障こしょうdamage (to a part of the body)
• 傷きず(emotional) hurt