How to say "worry" in Japanese

• 心配しんぱいJLPT N4approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verb, na-adjectiveThe default word for worry in daily life: concern about whether someone is safe or well, or how something will turn out. Use it for fretting over a person or a concrete matter.
  その男の子おとこのこは心配しんぱいして病気びょうきになった。↗

  The boy got sick from anxiety.
• 懸念けねんCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbWorry as concern that something bad may happen — a risk, a problem, an unfavorable outcome. The word you meet in news reports, official statements and business talk about what might go wrong.
  世界せかいの航空こうくう産業さんぎょうは墜落ついらく事故じこについての懸念けねんを募つのらせている。↗

  The world's aviation industry is growing increasingly worried about crashes.
• 不安ふあんJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, na-adjectiveAnxiety or unease as a feeling: an unsettled, apprehensive state of mind, often vague rather than tied to one concrete matter. Fits dread about the future or a sense that something is wrong.
  その知しらせで彼かれの不安ふあんが増ました。↗

  The news added to his anxiety.
• 悩みなやみJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounA worry that weighs on you personally: a trouble or problem you keep brooding over without an easy answer, such as worries over relationships, work or the future.
  それはぜいたくな悩なやみだよ。↗

  Gee, I wish I had that problem.
• 気がかりきがかりCommon
  noun, na-adjectiveConcern for someone or something dear to you that stays on your mind — worry you cannot easily put out of your head, often about a person's wellbeing or a matter left unresolved.
  私は将来しょうらいのことが気きがかりだ。↗

  I am anxious about the future.

心配 is the default for worrying about someone or something; 懸念 expresses concern over risks and problems; 不安 is anxious unease; 「悩み」 is a trouble you brood over; 「気がかり」 is concern that lingers on your mind.

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

• 心配しんぱいworry
• 懸念けねんworry
• 不安ふあんanxiety
• 悩みなやみtrouble
• 気がかりきがかりworry
• 屈託くったくworry
• 煩いわずらいworry
• 気苦労きぐろうworry
• 煩うわずらうto worry (about)
• 心労しんろうanxiety
• 気づかれきづかれmental fatigue
• 案じるあんじるto be anxious (about)
• 厄介やっかいtrouble
• 気遣いきづかいconsideration
• くよくよto fret (over)
• 怖がるこわがるto be afraid (of)
• 案ずるあんずるto be anxious (about)
• 困りごとこまりごとproblem
• 心痛しんつうworry
• 気骨きぼねworry
• 煩悶はんもんworry
• 苦にするくにするto worry
• 気を使うきをつかうto worry (about)
• 悩乱のうらんworry
• 御念ごねんworry
• 心を痛めるこころをいためるto worry (about)
• 苦に病むくにやむto worry (about)
• 気をもむきをもむto worry
• 気に病むきにやむto worry (about)
• 物思うものおもうto worry
• 後顧こうこlooking back
• 焦慮しょうりょimpatience
• 気にするきにするto mind (negative nuance)
• 憂患ゆうかんsorrow
• 痛心つうしんheartache
• 物案じものあんじanxiety
• 気が差すきがさすto feel uneasy
• 意に介するいにかいするto mind
• 気がもめるきがもめるto feel anxious
• 気を病むきをやむto fret
• 意を用いるいをもちいるto pay attention (to)
• 神経を使うしんけいをつかうto be nervous
• 苦くpain
• 考え事かんがえごとsomething to think about
• 苦労くろうanxiety
• 痛めるいためるto worry
• 介するかいするto worry
• 憂いうれいanxiety
• 介すかいすto worry
• 心を砕くこころをくだくto be concerned
• 気きcare