Everyday ailments, small injuries and what is done about them at home.
Practise this list
From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
The words for the doctor's surgery are in another list; these are for the days before a doctor, or instead of one: a graze, a sprain, a temperature that will not go away. Two patterns run through them. Where English says "my", Japanese simply names the body part — 足首をひねる, "twist ankle", 腰を痛める, "hurt back" — and a formal kanji word on a notice usually has a plain partner in speech: 発熱on the sign熱が出るwhen you say it
The words
View
Verb (6)
噛むto bite; to chewVerbN3
近所の犬に手を噛まれて、病院に行った。I was bitten on the hand by a neighbour's dog and went to hospital.
Also to chew: よく噛んで食べる. Often written in kana.
痛めるto hurt; to injure (a part of the body)VerbN3
重い荷物を持って、腰を痛めた。I hurt my back carrying heavy luggage.
ひねるto twistVerbN3
ボールを取ろうとして、足首をひねってしまった。I twisted my ankle trying to catch the ball.
Also turning a tap: 蛇口をひねる.
寝込むto be laid up in bedVerbN3
インフルエンザで、一週間も寝込んでいた。I was laid up in bed with flu for a whole week.
ぶつけるto bump; to bang (against)VerbN3
ドアに頭をぶつけて、こぶができた。I banged my head on the door and got a bump.
You bang something: ぶつける; things collide: ぶつかる.
治まるto subside; to ease (of pain, a cough)VerbN3
薬を飲んだら、咳がやっと治まった。After I took the medicine, the cough finally eased.
Not 治る, to recover: 治まる means a symptom calms down.
Noun (31)
擦り傷graze; scrapeNounN3
転んで、膝に擦り傷ができた。I fell over and grazed my knee.
切り傷cutNounN3
料理の途中で、指に小さな切り傷を作ってしまった。I gave myself a small cut on my finger while cooking.
捻挫sprainNounN3
階段で転んで、足首を捻挫した。I fell on the stairs and sprained my ankle.
Also a verb: 捻挫する. Often written in kana: ねんざ.
虫刺されinsect biteNounN3
虫刺されがかゆくて、夜よく眠れなかった。My insect bites itched so much that I could not sleep well.
出血bleedingNounN3
傷は小さいが、出血がなかなか止まらない。The cut is small, but the bleeding will not stop.
Also a verb: 出血する. In speech, 血が出る.
絆創膏sticking plasterNounN3
紙で指を切ったので、絆創膏を貼った。I cut my finger on some paper, so I put a plaster on it.
Often written in kana on the packet: ばんそうこう.
消毒disinfectionNounN3
病院に入る前に、入口で手を消毒してください。Before entering the hospital, please disinfect your hands at the entrance.
Also a verb: 消毒する.
湿布medicated patch; compressNounN3
腰が痛いので、寝る前に湿布を貼った。My lower back hurt, so I put on a pain-relief patch before bed.
An adhesive patch with medicine in it, a common remedy in Japan for strains and stiff shoulders.
マスクface maskNounN4
風邪をひいているので、マスクをして出かけた。I have a cold, so I wore a mask when I went out.
Worn, with する or つける: マスクをする.
腹痛stomach acheNounN3
夜中に、ひどい腹痛で目が覚めた。I woke in the middle of the night with a bad stomach ache.
The written word; in speech, お腹が痛い.
咳止めcough medicineNounN3
咳がひどくて、咳止めを飲んでもなかなか眠れなかった。My cough was so bad that I could hardly sleep, even after taking cough medicine.
鼻づまりblocked noseNounN3
鼻づまりで、料理の味がよくわからない。My nose is blocked, so I can hardly taste the food.
発熱fever; running a temperatureNounN3
発熱のある方は、受付でお知らせください。If you have a temperature, please let reception know.
Formal, the word on notices; in speech, 熱が出る.
微熱slight feverNounN3
朝から微熱が続いていて、体がだるい。I have had a slight temperature since the morning, and I feel sluggish.
高熱high feverNounN3
子どもが夜中に高熱を出して、夜も開いている病院に連れていった。My child ran a high fever in the night, and I took them to a hospital open at night.
風邪気味having a slight coldNounN3
少し風邪気味なので、今日は早めに帰ります。I seem to be coming down with a cold, so I will go home early today.
〜気味 means "a touch of": 疲れ気味, a bit run down.
具合condition; how one feelsNounN4
具合が悪そうだけど、大丈夫？You look unwell — are you all right?
Also the state of a machine or a plan: 調子 is a close synonym.
あざbruiseNounN3
机の角にぶつけたところが、青いあざになった。Where I bumped into the corner of the desk has turned into a bruise.
A bruise is "blue" in Japanese: 青あざ.
痛み止めpainkillerNounN3
歯が痛くて、痛み止めを飲んだ。My tooth was aching, so I took a painkiller.
Medicine is "drunk" in Japanese, even a tablet: 薬を飲む.
風邪薬cold medicineNounN4
風邪薬を飲むと、眠くなることがある。Cold medicine can make you drowsy.
胃薬stomach medicineNounN3
食べ過ぎたので、寝る前に胃薬を飲んだ。I had eaten too much, so I took some stomach medicine before bed.
食中毒food poisoningNounN3
夏は食中毒が起きやすいので、食べ物の保存に気をつけよう。Food poisoning is common in summer, so let us be careful how we keep food.
突き指jammed fingerNounN3
バレーボールの練習で突き指をした。I jammed my finger at volleyball practice.
A ball striking a fingertip; a common injury in ball games.
傷口wound (the open part)NounN3
傷口を水でよく洗ってから、薬を塗った。I washed the wound well with water and then put ointment on it.
虫歯tooth decay; a cavityNounN4
甘いものばかり食べていたら、虫歯ができた。I ate nothing but sweet things and got a cavity.
Literally "insect tooth".
水ぶくれblisterNounN3
やけどしたところに、水ぶくれができた。A blister came up where I had burned myself.
鼻血nosebleedNounN3
子どもが急に鼻血を出して、びっくりした。My child suddenly had a nosebleed, which gave me a fright.
The ち of 血 is voiced here and written ぢ.
傷跡scarNounN3
子どもの頃のけがの傷跡が、まだ膝に残っている。The scar from a childhood injury is still there on my knee.
早退leaving early (school, work)NounN3
頭が痛かったので、会社を早退した。I had a headache, so I left work early.
Also a verb: 早退する.
乗り物酔いtravel sicknessNounN3
乗り物酔いがひどいので、バスではいつも前の席に座る。I get bad travel sickness, so I always sit at the front of the bus.
From 酔う, which also means to get drunk.
救急箱first-aid kitNounN3
救急箱に、包帯と消毒液を入れておいた。I put bandages and antiseptic in the first-aid kit.
