How to say "symptom" in Japanese

• 症候しょうこうCommon
  nounCovers 'symptom' in its medical sense, a manifestation of illness or disorder, and is the most direct equivalent of the English word; choose it in clinical contexts such as diagnosis.
• 兆候ちょうこうCommon
  nounMeans 'sign, indication, omen', and also covers 'symptom' as an outward sign that something is emerging or developing. It is as much at home with signs of illness or recovery as with signs of change.
  私わたしたちはそれらの徴候ちょうこうを常つねに意識いしきしている。↗

  We are always conscious of the signs.
• 兆しきざしJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounShares the senses 'sign, indication, omen', evoking the first faint stirrings of something, such as recovery. For a medical symptom it is seldom the word you want; 兆候 or 症候 fits better.
  その建物たてものは老朽化ろうきゅうかの兆きざしを見みせている。↗

  The building exhibits signs of dilapidation.

症候 is the direct equivalent for a medical symptom; 兆候 and 「兆し」 mean 'sign, indication, omen' and render 'symptom' when it amounts to a sign that illness, recovery or change is emerging.

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

• 症候しょうこうsymptom
• 兆候ちょうこうsign
• 兆しきざしsign
• 病徴びょうちょうsymptom
• 徴ちょうsign