看護師
kangoshi[kã̠ŋɡo̞ɕi]
The Japanese word for nurse is 看護師 (kangoshi). Wiktionary also lists 看護士 (unisex) and 看護婦 (kangofu).
Meaning: person trained to provide care for the sick (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 看護師 | kangoshi | [kã̠ŋɡo̞ɕi] (narrow) | |
| 看護士 | unisex | [kã̠ŋɡo̞ɕi] (narrow) | |
| 看護婦 | kangofu | [kã̠ŋɡo̞ɸɯ̟] (narrow) | feminine |
| ナース | nāsu | [na̠ːsɨ] (narrow) | feminine |
The word refers to a person trained to provide care for the sick.
Which one should you use?
看護師 is the standard, gender-neutral term for a nurse. 看護婦 is an older, gender-specific term that explicitly refers to a female nurse. ナース is a loanword from English that often carries a stylized or feminine connotation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
看護師 is the neutral, standard term used in professional and official contexts. 看護婦 is an older term for a female nurse and is increasingly considered outdated. ナース is informal and used in casual conversation or media.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
kangoshi
Did you know?
- Until 2002, the legal term for a nurse in Japan was 看護婦, which literally means 'nursing woman'.
- In Japanese pop culture and anime, the loanword ナース is frequently used to evoke a specific 'cute' or 'idol' aesthetic rather than a medical profession.
- The suffix 師 is reserved for professions requiring a national license, which distinguishes 看護師 from other caregivers who are not licensed.
Examples in context
- 私は看護婦です。I'm a nurse.This sentence is used to say 'I am a nurse' using the feminine form 看護婦.Tatoeba #157804 by small_snow, translation #256726 by CK
- 私は看護師です。I am a nurse.This sentence is used to say 'I am a nurse' using the standard form 看護師.Tatoeba #2257000 by tommy_san, translation #1864720 by gleydin
- 彼女は看護婦です。She is a nurse.This sentence is used to say 'She is a nurse' using the feminine form 看護婦.Tatoeba #90655 by bunbuku, translation #313056 by CK
- 親切な看護師さんが私を助けてくれた。A kind nurse helped me.
- 46 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are talking about their future goals.
- 美咲 Misaki将来は看護師になりたいです。Shourai wa kangoshi ni naritai desu.I want to be a nurse in the future.
- 陽太 Yotaすごいね！勉強は大変そうだけど。Sugoi ne! Benkyou wa taihen sou dakedo.That's amazing! Though the studying seems hard.
- 美咲 Misakiはい。でも、看護師として人を助けたいです。Hai. Demo, kangoshi toshite hito o tasuketai desu.Yes. But I want to help people as a nurse.
- 陽太 Yota美咲ならきっといい看護師になれるよ。Misaki nara kitto ii kangoshi ni nareru yo.I'm sure you'll be a great nurse, Misaki.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nurse” translations and entries 看護師, 看護士, 看護婦, ナース, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
