How to say "sore" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 痛いいたいi-adjectiveThe everyday word for the feeling sense of 'sore': a painful, aching muscle or throat. If you mean something hurts, this is the word you want.噛むと痛いですか。↗Does it hurt when you chew?
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbA medical term for an actual sore on the skin or mucous membrane, listed with erosion, ulceration and abscess. Less common, usually written in kana, and not for the feeling of pain.
- nounAlso a medical-style term for a sore as a skin lesion, with inflammation and ulceration among its glosses. Less common and normally written in kana; not used for aching.
- 擦れすれnoun, noun (suffix)Primarily chafing, with scrape, scratch and sore as further glosses. It is seldom the word you want for a sore in the medical sense; think of it as friction damage to the skin.
For a painful or aching body part use 「痛い」; for an actual lesion on the skin, 「びらん」, 「ただれ」 or 「擦れ」 may fit, though the last is really about chafing rather than a sore.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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