痛い
itai[ita̠i]
The phrase for something hurts in Japanese is 痛い (itai).
痛い is a common and straightforward way to say 'it hurts' in informal conversations. You can exclaim 痛い! to react to sudden, sharp pain, similar to saying "Ouch!" To intensify how much something hurts, you can place adverbs before the adjective, such as とても (very), 非常に (extremely) or すごく (incredibly).
Which one should you use?
痛い is used specifically for physical pain. To express emotional or mental suffering, you should use tsurai instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual speech among friends or close acquaintances, the more emphatic form 痛いんだ can be used.
How do you pronounce it?
itai
Did you know?
- The word 痛い is used in modern Japanese slang to describe someone who is 'cringeworthy' or socially awkward. In this context, it implies that watching the person's behavior is physically painful for the observer.
- There is a metaphorical expression, 痛いところを突かれた, which translates to 'having one's sore spot poked'. It is used when someone mentions a sensitive, embarrassing, or uncomfortable truth.
- The word 痛い comes from the Proto-Japonic root *ita, which may have originally been an interjection similar to the English 'ouch'.
Examples in context
- 先日、腕に痛みを感じました。The other day, I felt pain in my arm.
- 頭が痛いと思います。I think I have a headache.
- 背中に激しい痛みを感じています。I am experiencing intense pain in my back.
- 足が痛い。My leg hurts.
- 胃が痛いんだ。My stomach hurts.
- 歯が痛いToothache
- 頭がとても痛いI have a very bad headache
- 頭が痛いです。atama ga itai desu.My head hurts.
- 足が痛い時は休んでね。ashi ga itai toki wa yasunde ne.Rest when your leg hurts.
Example conversation
Kenta accidentally bumps his finger.
- 健太 Kenta痛い！指をぶつけた。Itai! Yubi o butsuketa.Ouch! I bumped my finger.
- 美咲 Misaki大丈夫？ひどいね。Daijobu? Hidoi ne.Are you okay? That looks bad.
- 健太 Kentaまだすごく痛いです。Mada sugoku itai desu.It still hurts a lot.
- 美咲 Misaki冷たい水で冷やしてね。Tsumetai mizu de hiyashite ne.Cool it down with cold water.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 痛い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 痛い, CC BY-SA 4.0.
