痛み
itami[ita̠mʲi]
The English word 'pain' can be translated into Japanese as 痛み (itami). Wiktionary also lists 苦痛 (kutsū).
Meaning: ache or bodily suffering (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 痛み | itami | [ita̠mʲi] (narrow) |
| 苦痛 | kutsū | [kɯ̟̊t͡sɨː] (narrow) |
痛み is the standard, everyday word used to describe physical sensations of pain, such as a headache or a stomachache. For example, you can describe a backache as 背中の痛み (senaka no itami) by combining 'senaka' (back) and 'itami' (pain). Related verbs include 傷付ける, which means to hurt or cause bodily uneasiness and 悲しませる, which means to grieve or render uneasy in the mind.
Which one should you use?
While 痛み refers to physical pain or an ache, 苦痛 (kutsū) refers to more intense, severe or psychological suffering. For more specific mental or emotional distress, the word 苦悩 (kunō) is used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 痛み is derived from the i-adjective 痛い (itai), which is used to say 'it hurts' or 'it is painful'.
How do you pronounce it?
itami
Did you know?
- The adjective 痛い (itai) can be used as slang to describe someone who is 'painful' to be around, meaning they are embarrassing or cringeworthy.
- When describing a sharp, stinging pain, Japanese often uses the onomatopoeia チクチク (chiku-chiku) instead of just the word for pain.
- The word 苦痛 (kutsū) uses the kanji for 'bitter' (苦), suggesting that deep suffering is viewed similarly to an unpleasant or bitter taste.
Examples in context
- 胃が痛みますか。Do you feel any pain in your stomach?This sentence is useful for asking if someone feels pain in their stomach using 痛み.Tatoeba #190999 by bunbuku, translation #28160 by CK
- 脇腹が痛みます。I have a pain in my side.This sentence is useful for stating you have a pain in your side using 痛み.Tatoeba #11412630 by small_snow, translation #2796908 by sharptoothed
- 痛みはありますか。Do you have any pain?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has any pain using 痛み.Tatoeba #125678 by small_snow, translation #278314 by CK
- 126 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A daughter asks her father about his recent injury.
- 結衣 Yuiお父さん、足の痛みはどうですか。Otousan, ashi no itami wa dou desu ka.Dad, how is the pain in your leg?
- 大翔 Hirotoだいぶ落ち着いて、痛みは少ないよ。Daibu ochitsuite, itami wa sukunai yo.It has settled down a lot, and there is little pain.
- 結衣 Yuiそれは良かったです。Sore wa yokatta desu.That is good to hear.
- 大翔 Hiroto心配してくれてありがとう。Shinpai shite kurete arigatou.Thank you for worrying about me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pain” translations and entries 痛み, 苦痛, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
