乳糖不耐症
nyūtō funaishō
The English phrase 'lactose intolerant' is expressed in Japanese as 乳糖不耐症 (nyūtō funaishō).
Meaning: unable to metabolize lactose (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 乳糖 (lactose), 不耐 (intolerance/not enduring) and 症 (condition/syndrome).
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'I am lactose intolerant' in a polite way, add です to the end of the noun, resulting in 乳糖不耐症です.
How do you pronounce it?
nyūtō funaishō
Did you know?
- If you want to be more specific about the discomfort, you might say お腹がゴロゴロします (onaka ga gorogoro shimasu), which uses an onomatopoeia to describe the 'rumbling' or 'grumbling' of a stomach.
- The term 不耐 (intolerance) is also used in Japanese to describe a lack of patience or inability to endure a difficult person.
- When ordering, a Japanese person might say 牛乳が苦手です (I am not good with milk) as a polite euphemism for 乳糖不耐症.
Examples in context
- これには牛乳が入っていますか？Does this contain milk?
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are ordering desserts at a cafe.
- 美咲 Misaki健太、このチーズケーキ食べないの？Kenta, kono chīzukēki tabenai no?Kenta, aren't you eating this cheesecake?
- 健太 Kenta実は僕、乳糖不耐症なんだ。Jitsu wa boku, nyūtō futaishō nanda.Actually, I'm lactose intolerant.
- 美咲 Misakiそうだったんだ。大丈夫？Sō datta nda. Daijōbu?I didn't know that. Are you okay?
- 健太 Kenta大丈夫。豆乳のデザートにするよ。Daijōbu. Tōnyū no dezāto ni suru yo.I'm fine. I'll have a soy milk dessert.
