How to say "injure" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 傷つけるきずつけるichidan verb, transitive verbThe direct word for wounding or injuring a person or thing, as in injuries from an accident or a fight. It also covers hurting someone emotionally, wounding their feelings.
- 害するがいするsuru verb (irregular), transitive verbMeans to harm or damage something rather than wound it, most naturally with things like health or interests; for a bodily injury it is seldom the word you want.
- 痛めるいためるichidan verb, transitive verbUsed when a part of the body is hurt or strained and stays painful, as when you hurt your back lifting something heavy; it is about pain and strain rather than wounds.
- 損なうそこなうgodan verb, transitive verbMeans to damage or impair something — its condition, function or value, as with health, reputation or performance — rather than to wound a person, so it is seldom the word for a bodily injury.
- 損ねるそこねるichidan verb, transitive verbBasically means to spoil or botch something, or to fail at it, and only loosely 'to harm'; as a translation of 'injure' it is marginal and would not be used for a bodily injury.
Choose 「傷つける」 for wounding a person or thing, 「痛める」 for a strained, painful body part, 「害する」 and 「損なう」 for harming health, function or interests, and treat 「損ねる」 as spoiling or botching something.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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