風邪を引く
kaze o hiku[ka̠ze̞ o̞ çikɯ̟]
To catch a cold in Japanese is 風邪を引く (kaze o hiku). If unsure, use 風邪を引く. Wiktionary also lists 風邪を召す (kaze o mesu).
Meaning: contract a cold (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 風邪を引く | kaze o hiku | [ka̠ze̞ o̞ çikɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 風邪を召す | kaze o mesu |
風邪を引く is neutral and works in both formal and informal speech.
What does it mean word for word?
風邪 means cold, and 引く (hiku) literally means to pull or draw.
Which one should you use?
風邪を召す (kaze o mesu) is a respectful form for talking about someone else's cold, while 風邪を引く is for yourself or equals.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense is 風邪を引いた, meaning caught a cold.
How do you pronounce it?
It is read kaze o hiku.
When do people say it?
When someone has a cold, the usual reply is お大事に, a wish for them to get well soon.
Did you know?
- The word 風邪 ('cold') contains the character for 'wind' 風 and the character for 'slant' or 'deviation' 邪. This reflects an ancient belief that illnesses were caused by 'evil winds' entering the body.
- The formal version 風邪を召す uses a verb, 召す, that is typically reserved for the highly polite actions of eating or drinking.
- The common get-well phrase お大事に is a clipped version of a sentence that literally instructs the sick person to 'treat yourself as something important'.
Examples in context
- 彼は風邪を引いたそうです。お大事に伝えてください。I heard he caught a cold. Please convey my wishes for his speedy recovery.
- 先週から風邪をひいてしまいました。申し訳ありませんが、休暇を取らせていただけますか？I've come down with a cold since last week. I'm sorry, but could I take a leave?
- 風邪をひいたよ。でも、もう大丈夫だから心配しないで。I caught a cold. But don't worry, I'm already fine.
- 昨日、風邪を引きました。I caught a cold yesterday.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “catch a cold” translations and entries 風邪を引く, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
