How to say "itch" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe noun for the sensation itself: an itch, itching, or itchiness, as when naming or describing a symptom. Usually written in kana alone rather than in kanji.
- suru verb, intransitive verb, adverbAn onomatopoeic word for a tickling, prickling itch — the faint, nagging kind that makes you fidget. It can also describe a creepy feeling.
- 掻痒そうようnounA kanji compound noun meaning 'itch; itching'. In ordinary speech this is seldom the word you want — かゆみ is the everyday noun — and it turns up mainly in writing.
- godan verb, intransitive verbA verb meaning 'to itch', typically for a faint, tickling itch that makes you fidget — close in feel to ムズムズ. Use it when you want the itching expressed as a verb.
- 痒がるかゆがるgodan verb, intransitive verbCovers itchiness as displayed or voiced: someone complaining of an itch or rash, scratching, or clearly bothered. Typical for other people, whose itching you observe rather than feel yourself.
Use 「かゆみ」 for the noun 'itch, itching'; 「ムズムズ」 or 「むずつく」 for a mild, tickling itch expressed as a verb; 「痒がる」 for someone showing or complaining of itchiness; 掻痒 is a rare written noun seldom needed in speech.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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