How to say "painful" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- i-adjectiveCovers the emotional sense of painful: circumstances that are hard to bear, such as heartbreak, grief, or a long stretch of hard times. It is usually written in kana alone.
- 痛いいたいi-adjectiveThis is the word for physical pain and soreness: a headache, an injury, a body part that hurts. When something simply hurts, this is the natural choice.噛むと痛いですか。↗Does it hurt when you chew?
- 苦しいくるしいi-adjectivePain felt as strain or struggle: breathing that is difficult, a tight chest, or hard circumstances to get through. It leans toward difficulty and hardship rather than sharp physical hurt.苦しい、やめろ。↗It's so painful. Stop it!
- 切ないせつないi-adjectiveEmotional pain that feels like a tightening in the chest: heartrending sadness at a parting, longing, or memories that are hard to bear. Closer to heartrending than to physical hurt.
- 心苦しいこころぐるしいi-adjectiveNot general pain: this expresses feeling sorry or uneasy toward someone, such as guilt over a favor asked or regret at being unable to help. For plain painful it is seldom the word you want.
Use 「痛い」 for physical pain, 「つらい」 for emotionally hard-to-bear situations, 「苦しい」 for strain or hardship, 「切ない」 for heartrending pangs, and 「心苦しい」 mainly for feeling sorry toward someone rather than for pain.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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