N5 · 40 words

The body and feeling unwell

Parts of the body, saying where it hurts, colds and medicine.

Where English says "I have a headache", Japanese names the part and says it hurts: 頭(あたま)が痛(いた)いです, literally "head hurts". The same frame — body part, が, adjective — describes almost any complaint, and many ordinary descriptions of people as well: 背(せ)が高(たか)いis tall耳(みみ)が遠(とお)いis hard of hearing Some words cover more than their English partner: 足(あし) is both leg and foot, and 指(ゆび) both finger and toe.

The words

Verb (4)

疲(つか)れるto get tiredVerbN5

今日(きょう)はたくさん働(はたら)いて疲(つか)れました。I worked a lot today and I'm tired.

"I am tired" is usually the past form, 疲(つか)れました, or 疲(つか)れています.

渇(かわ)くto be thirsty (of the throat)VerbN4

喉(のど)が渇(かわ)きました。I'm thirsty.

The throat dries: 喉(のど)が渇(かわ)く.

太(ふと)るto put on weightVerbN4

最近(さいきん)少(すこ)し太(ふと)りました。I've put on a little weight recently.

"Is fat" is the ている form: 太(ふと)っています.

やせるto lose weightVerbN4

毎日(まいにち)走(はし)って、三(さん)キロやせました。I ran every day and lost three kilos.

Also written 痩(や)せる.

Noun (34)

体(からだ)body; healthNounN5

体(からだ)に気(き)をつけてください。Please look after yourself.

頭(あたま)headNounN5

朝(あさ)から頭(あたま)が痛(いた)いです。I've had a headache since this morning.

頭(あたま)がいい means clever.

顔(かお)faceNounN5

彼(かれ)の顔(かお)を見(み)て、すぐ分(わ)かりました。I recognised him as soon as I saw his face.

顔色(かおいろ)complexion; how someone looksNounN4

顔色(かおいろ)が悪(わる)いですね。You look pale.

目(め)eyeNounN5

彼女(かのじょ)は目(め)がとてもきれいです。She has very beautiful eyes.

耳(みみ)earNounN5

祖父(そふ)は耳(みみ)が少(すこ)し遠(とお)いです。My grandfather is a little hard of hearing.

耳(みみ)が遠(とお)い, literally "ears are far", means hard of hearing.

鼻(はな)noseNounN5

寒(さむ)くて鼻(はな)が赤(あか)くなりました。My nose has gone red with the cold.

Sounds like 花(はな), flower.

口(くち)mouthNounN5

口(くち)を大(おお)きく開(あ)けてください。Please open your mouth wide.

歯(は)toothNounN5

歯(は)が痛(いた)いので、歯医者(はいしゃ)へ行(い)きます。I've got toothache, so I'm going to the dentist.

喉(のど)throatNounN5

風邪(かぜ)で喉(のど)が痛(いた)いです。I've got a sore throat from a cold.

Often written in kana: のど.

首(くび)neckNounN5

キリンは首(くび)が長(なが)いです。Giraffes have long necks.

肩(かた)shoulderNounN5

毎日(まいにち)パソコンを使(つか)うので、肩(かた)が痛(いた)いです。I use a computer every day, so my shoulders ache.

腕(うで)armNounN5

重(おも)い荷物(にもつ)で腕(うで)が疲(つか)れました。My arms are tired from the heavy bags.

手(て)handNounN5

手(て)が冷(つめ)たいですね。Your hands are cold.

指(ゆび)finger; toeNounN5

料理(りょうり)をしていて指(ゆび)を切(き)りました。I cut my finger while I was cooking.

胸(むね)chest; breastNounN5

胸(むね)が少(すこ)し痛(いた)いです。My chest hurts a little.

お腹(なか)stomach; bellyNounN5

お腹(なか)がすきました。I'm hungry.

お腹(なか)がすく is to get hungry; also often written おなか.

背中(せなか)backNounN5

背中(せなか)をまっすぐにして座(すわ)ってください。Please sit with your back straight.

腰(こし)lower back; hipsNounN4

重(おも)い箱(はこ)を持(も)って、腰(こし)が痛(いた)くなりました。I hurt my lower back carrying a heavy box.

足(あし)leg; footNounN5

机(つくえ)の角(かど)に足(あし)をぶつけました。I banged my foot on the corner of the desk.

One word for both: the context decides.

膝(ひざ)kneeNounN4

階段(かいだん)を上(のぼ)ると、膝(ひざ)が痛(いた)いです。My knees hurt when I go up stairs.

髪(かみ)hair (on the head)NounN5

髪(かみ)を短(みじか)く切(き)りました。I've had my hair cut short.

Also 髪(かみ)の毛(け).

背(せ)height (of a person); backNounN5

弟(おとうと)は私(わたし)より背(せ)が高(たか)いです。My younger brother is taller than me.

Tall is 背(せ)が高(たか)い, short 背(せ)が低(ひく)い.

声(こえ)voiceNounN5

彼(かれ)は声(こえ)が大(おお)きいです。He has a loud voice.

血(ち)bloodNounN4

指(ゆび)から血(ち)が出(で)ています。Your finger is bleeding.

骨(ほね)boneNounN4

魚(さかな)の骨(ほね)に気(き)をつけてください。Watch out for the fish bones.

汗(あせ)sweatNounN4

暑(あつ)くて汗(あせ)をたくさんかきました。It was so hot that I sweated a lot.

You "scratch" sweat: 汗(あせ)をかく.

病気(びょうき)illnessNounN5

病気(びょうき)で一週間(いっしゅうかん)会社(かいしゃ)を休(やす)みました。I was off work ill for a week.

風邪(かぜ)cold (illness)NounN5

風邪(かぜ)をひいて、学校(がっこう)を休(やす)みました。I caught a cold and stayed off school.

You "pull" a cold: 風邪(かぜ)をひく. Sounds like 風(かぜ), wind.

薬(くすり)medicineNounN5

この薬(くすり)は一日(いちにち)三回(さんかい)飲(の)んでください。Take this medicine three times a day.

Medicine is drunk, even as tablets: 薬(くすり)を飲(の)む.

目薬(めぐすり)eye dropsNounN4

寝(ね)る前(まえ)に目薬(めぐすり)をさします。I put in eye drops before I go to bed.

舌(した)tongueNounN4

医者(いしゃ)に舌(した)を見(み)せました。I showed the doctor my tongue.

Sounds like 下(した), below.

爪(つめ)nail (of a finger or toe)NounN4

爪(つめ)が長(なが)くなりました。My nails have got long.

お尻(しり)bottom; buttocksNounN4

長(なが)い時間(じかん)座(すわ)っていたので、お尻(しり)が痛(いた)いです。I've been sitting for a long time, so my bottom hurts.

i-adjective (2)

痛(いた)いpainful; it hurtsi-adjectiveN5

どこが痛(いた)いですか。Where does it hurt?

The part that hurts takes が.

眠(ねむ)いsleepyi-adjectiveN5

昨日(きのう)あまり寝(ね)なかったので、とても眠(ねむ)いです。I didn't sleep much last night, so I'm very sleepy.

This list belongs to Body and health — seven lists and 281 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.