How to say "nurse" in Japanese

• ナースCommon
  nounThe noun for a nurse as a person or profession, e.g. hospital staff. Use it for the occupation or a person who does it, not for the act of caring for the sick.
• 温めるあたためるJLPT N2approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbCovers only the figurative sense: to nurse an idea or plan, keeping it to oneself while mulling it over. Literally 'to warm', it is not the word for nursing a person.
• いたわるJLPT N1approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers nursing in the sense of tending to and caring for someone sick or injured, with a soothing, attentive nuance. Usually written in kana alone; think of caring for a patient or an injury.
  私は病気びょうきの姉あねをいたわった。↗

  I took care of my sick sister.

Use 「ナース」 for a nurse as a person or profession, 「いたわる」 for nursing and tending to someone sick or injured, and 「温める」 only figuratively, for nursing an idea or plan.

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

• ナースnurse
• 守役もりやくnurse
• 看病人かんびょうにんnurse
• 看護人かんごにんnurse (male or female)
• 白衣の天使はくいのてんしnurse
• 伽とぎnursing
• 看取るみとるto care for (the sick)
• 介護士かいごしcarer
• 看護かんごnursing
• 看護婦かんごふ(female) nurse
• 看護師かんごし(hospital) nurse
• 看護士かんごし(male) nurse
• 温めるあたためるto sit on (an idea, plan, etc.)
• いたわるto tend to (e.g. an injury)