How to say "swelling" in Japanese

• むくみCommon
  nounSwelling of the body caused by fluid retention, as in the face, legs, or ankles; it corresponds to the medical senses 'edema' and 'dropsy'. It is usually written in kana alone.
• 膨らみふくらみCommon
  nounCovers a swelling in the sense of a bulge or puff — something rounded or puffed outward. It points to the shape itself, not to fluid retention in the body.
• 肥大ひだいCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbEnlargement: the swelling of a body part or organ as it becomes large or fat. It is really 'enlargement' rather than a puffy swelling.
• 膨張ぼうちょうJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbExpansion: swelling in the sense of something increasing in size or volume, and by extension growth or increase generally. It is not the word for puffy or fluid bodily swelling.
  多おおくの天文学てんもんがく者しゃは、宇宙うちゅうは永遠えいえんに膨張ぼうちょうしてゆくものだと考かんがえている。↗

  Many astronomers assume that the universe expands infinitely.
• 余韻よいんCommon
  nounOnly for the swelling of sound: a reverberation or trailing note, as when a hymn swells. For any physical swelling this is not the word you want.

Use 「むくみ」 for puffy bodily swelling from fluid, 「膨らみ」 for a bulge or puff, 肥大 for enlargement of a body part, 膨張 for expansion or growth, and 余韻 only for the swelling of sound.

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

• むくみswelling
• 膨らみふくらみswelling
• 肥大ひだいswelling
• 膨張ぼうちょうexpansion
• 余韻よいんreverberation
• こぶbump
• 腫れはれswelling
• ぶくぶくbulging
• 腫れ物はれものswelling
• 膨潤ぼうじゅんswelling (with fluid)
• 腫脹しゅちょうswelling
• 腫大しゅだいswelling
• 腫物しゅもつswelling
• 疽腫そしょうswelling
• 地腫れじばれswelling (around a wound)
• 肥大化ひだいかswelling
• 膨化ぼうかswelling
• 膨れふくれscab
• たんこぶbump (e.g. on forehead)
• 膨大ぼうだいswelling
• しこりlump (in tissue, esp. breast)
• ふくらbulge