How to say "injury" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 怪我けがnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbThe word for a physical injury a person suffers: getting hurt in daily life, in an accident, or in sports. It treats the injury as a condition or event, not the wound itself.
- 被害ひがいnounDamage or harm suffered — harm that comes to people or property from a disaster, an accident, or wrongdoing. Not the word for a personal bodily injury; it views matters from the sufferer's side.
- 傷きずnounA wound in the physical sense: the cut or gash itself, the damage on the body. Choose it when you mean the wound rather than the fact of being injured.
- 負傷ふしょうnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbInjury as a fact to be reported: the word news reports use when people are hurt in accidents or disasters. It states the fact of injury without describing the wounds.
- 害がいnounHarm or damage in the abstract — the bad or evil influence something has, harm done rather than a wound. Seldom the word you want for a physical injury to a person.
For a bodily injury use 怪我, for the wound itself 傷, and for being injured as reported in the news 負傷; 被害 is damage or harm suffered, while 害 is harm in the abstract.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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