Picture this: you're in Japan, and your stomach has been hurting since morning. You walk into a clinic, and the doctor at the front desk asks you something in Japanese — fast. You know the word for “stomach” is somewhere in your memory, but it's not coming out. You end up pointing at your belly and saying uh… here… itai…?
Sound familiar? Body part vocabulary is one of those categories that every Japanese learner puts off until they actually need it — and then wishes they had studied it sooner. Whether you're traveling in Japan, living there, preparing for the JLPT, or just want to understand what the doctor is asking, this guide covers everything from head to toe: names of body parts, how to describe symptoms, useful hospital phrases, fascinating body idioms, and the mistakes most English speakers make along the way.
Let's start at the top.
At a Glance: Key Body and Health Vocabulary
| Japanese | Reading | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 頭 | あたま (atama) | head | Also used in idioms for stubbornness |
| お腹 | おなか (onaka) | stomach / belly | Everyday speech; NOT the organ itself |
| 胃 | い (i) | stomach (organ) | Medical / clinical context |
| 足 | あし (ashi) | foot / leg (general) | Covers both foot and leg informally |
| 脚 | あし (ashi) | leg (specifically) | More precise; used in formal/written contexts |
| 〜が痛いです | 〜が いたいです | [body part] hurts | Core symptom pattern |
| 熱があります | ねつが あります | I have a fever | Use あります, not です |
| 内科 | ないか (naika) | Internal medicine | Most common clinic type for general illness |
| 腹が立つ | はらが たつ | to get angry | Idiom — lit. “stomach stands up” |
Head and Face Vocabulary
The head and face give us some of the most commonly used body part words in everyday conversation — from talking about a headache to describing someone's features.
Core Head and Face Words
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 頭 | あたま (atama) | head |
| 顔 | かお (kao) | face |
| 髪 | かみ (kami) | hair (on the head) |
| 目 | め (me) | eye / eyes |
| 耳 | みみ (mimi) | ear / ears |
| 鼻 | はな (hana) | nose |
| 口 | くち (kuchi) | mouth |
| 歯 | は (ha) | tooth / teeth |
| 舌 | した (shita) | tongue |
| 首 | くび (kubi) | neck |
| のど | nodo | throat |
| あご | ago | jaw / chin |
| ほお | hoo | cheek |
Example sentences:
- 目が大きいですね。(め が おおきい ですね。) — You have big eyes, don't you.
- のどが痛いです。(のどが いたいです。) — My throat hurts.
- 歯医者に行かなければなりません。(はいしゃ に いかなければ なりません。) — I have to go to the dentist.
One thing to note: 髪（かみ）means hair on the head. Body hair in general is 体毛（たいもう）. If you're at the hairdresser, 髪 is the word you need.
Upper Body Vocabulary
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 肩 | かた (kata) | shoulder |
| 腕 | うで (ude) | arm |
| 手 | て (te) | hand |
| 指 | ゆび (yubi) | finger |
| 爪 | つめ (tsume) | fingernail |
| 胸 | むね (mune) | chest / breast |
| 背中 | せなか (senaka) | back |
| お腹 | おなか (onaka) | stomach / belly |
| 腰 | こし (koshi) | lower back / waist |
| わき | waki | armpit / side |
| 心臓 | しんぞう (shinzou) | heart |
| 肺 | はい (hai) | lungs |
Example sentences:
- 肩がこっています。(かたが こって います。) — My shoulders are stiff/tense.
- 腰が痛くて、歩けません。(こしが いたくて、あるけません。) — My lower back hurts and I can't walk.
- 胸がどきどきします。(むねが どきどき します。) — My heart is pounding.
Note on 肩がこる (kata ga koru): this expression — “shoulders are stiff” — is one of the most common physical complaints in Japan. You'll hear it constantly, especially from office workers. It has its own word: 肩こり（かたこり）, meaning “stiff shoulders.”
Lower Body Vocabulary
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 足 | あし (ashi) | foot / leg (general, informal) |
| 脚 | あし (ashi) | leg (specifically the leg) |
| ひざ | hiza | knee |
| 足首 | あしくび (ashikubi) | ankle |
| つま先 | つまさき (tsumasaki) | toes / tip of the foot |
| かかと | kakato | heel |
| 太もも | ふともも (futomomo) | thigh |
| お尻 | おしり (oshiri) | buttocks / bottom |
| 足の裏 | あしのうら (ashi no ura) | sole of the foot |
足 vs 脚 — A Key Distinction for Learners
Both 足 and 脚 are read as あし (ashi) and both relate to the lower limb — but they are not interchangeable in careful usage.
- 足（あし） is the general, everyday word. It covers the foot, the leg, and the whole lower limb. It's the one you'll use in almost every situation.
- 脚（あし） specifically refers to the leg from the hip downward, not including the foot. You'll see it in more formal, written, or precise medical contexts — for example, when a doctor distinguishes the leg from the foot.
In everyday speech, 足 is the safe default. So: 足が痛いです (ashi ga itai desu) — “My leg/foot hurts” — works fine. If you need to be precise about just the foot, say 足の先（あしのさき）or refer to specific parts like 足首 (ankle) or つま先 (toes).
Common Mistake: 私の with Body Parts
In English, we say “my leg hurts.” In Japanese, the possessive 私の (わたしの, my) is usually dropped when it's obvious from context that you're talking about your own body.
- ✅ 足が痛いです。(ashi ga itai desu.) — [My] leg hurts.
- ⚠️ 私の足が痛いです。(watashi no ashi ga itai desu.) — Grammatically fine, but sounds unnatural and over-specified to native ears.
When you're at the doctor's and the context is clearly about your own body, just start with the body part and が.
Internal Organs and Medical Vocabulary
These words come up less often in daily conversation, but they're essential for medical situations and JLPT reading passages.
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 心臓 | しんぞう (shinzou) | heart |
| 肺 | はい (hai) | lungs |
| 胃 | い (i) | stomach (the organ) |
| 肝臓 | かんぞう (kanzou) | liver |
| 腸 | ちょう (chou) | intestines |
| 腎臓 | じんぞう (jinzou) | kidney |
| 血 | ち (chi) | blood |
| 骨 | ほね (hone) | bone |
| 筋肉 | きんにく (kin'niku) | muscle |
| 皮膚 | ひふ (hifu) | skin |
| 神経 | しんけい (shinkei) | nerve |
| 薬 | くすり (kusuri) | medicine / drug |
お腹 vs 胃 — Two Words for “Stomach”
This is one of the most important distinctions for medical conversations.
- お腹（おなか） = the belly or tummy region. This is the everyday, casual word. When you say お腹が痛い, you're saying your belly hurts — which could mean anything from indigestion to hunger pangs.
- 胃（い） = the stomach as an organ. This is the clinical word. A doctor diagnosing gastritis (胃炎, ien) or a stomach ulcer (胃潰瘍, ikaiyo) will use 胃.
In practice: if you tell a doctor お腹が痛いです, they understand you. But if they ask どこが一番痛いですか（どこが いちばん いたいですか — “Where does it hurt most?”), being able to point and say 胃のあたりです（いのあたりです — “around the stomach area”）is helpful.
How to Say Something Hurts
The most important pattern in Japanese health vocabulary is simple:
[Body part] + が + 痛いです (itai desu) = “[Body part] hurts.”
This works for virtually any body part. Learn this one pattern and you can communicate almost any pain to a doctor or pharmacist.
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 頭が痛いです | あたまが いたいです | I have a headache / My head hurts |
| お腹が痛いです | おなかが いたいです | My stomach / belly hurts |
| 背中が痛いです | せなかが いたいです | My back hurts |
| 歯が痛いです | はが いたいです | My tooth hurts / I have a toothache |
| のどが痛いです | のどが いたいです | My throat hurts |
| 肩が痛いです | かたが いたいです | My shoulder hurts |
| 腰が痛いです | こしが いたいです | My lower back hurts |
痛い (itai) as Adjective vs 痛み (itami) as Noun
痛い（いたい）is an i-adjective meaning “painful” or “hurting.” It conjugates like other i-adjectives:
- 痛いです — it hurts (present)
- 痛かったです — it hurt (past)
- 痛くないです — it doesn't hurt (negative)
- 痛くなりました — it started hurting
痛み（いたみ）is the noun form, meaning “pain.” A doctor might ask: 痛みはありますか？(いたみ は ありますか？) — “Do you have any pain?”
A Conversation About Shoulder Pain
Here's what it sounds like in practice — Yuka and Rei talking about a sore shoulder after a long day:
Yuka大丈夫？顔色が悪いよ。(だいじょうぶ？かおいろが わるいよ。) — Are you okay? You look pale.
Reiうん、昨日から肩が痛くて。ずっとパソコンを使っていたから。(うん、きのうから かたが いたくて。ずっと パソコンを つかっていたから。) — Yeah, my shoulder has been hurting since yesterday. I've been on the computer the whole time.
Notice: 昨日から (kinoo kara) — “since yesterday.” This construction, [time] + から, is exactly what doctors use when they ask いつからですか？ (itsu kara desu ka？) — “Since when?” It's one of the first questions you'll be asked in a clinic, so it's worth knowing.
Common Symptoms in Japanese
Pain is only one type of symptom. Here are the most common symptom expressions you'll need — each with its own grammatical pattern worth studying.
Symptom Phrases: Full List
| Japanese | Reading | English | Pattern used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 熱があります | ねつが あります | I have a fever | [noun] + があります |
| 咳が出ます | せきが でます | I have a cough | [noun] + が出ます |
| 鼻水が出ます | はなみずが でます | I have a runny nose | [noun] + が出ます |
| 頭が痛いです | あたまが いたいです | I have a headache | [body part] + が痛いです |
| 吐き気がします | はきけが します | I feel nauseous | [noun] + がします |
| めまいがします | memai ga shimasu | I feel dizzy | [noun] + がします |
| かゆいです | kayui desu | It's itchy / I'm itchy | [adjective] |
| アレルギーがあります | arerugii ga arimasu | I have an allergy | [noun] + があります |
| 下痢をしています | げりを して います | I have diarrhea | [noun] + をしています |
| 便秘です | べんぴ です | I'm constipated | [noun] + です |
| 熱が下がりません | ねつが さがりません | My fever won't go down | [subject] + が下がりません |
Three Key Patterns to Memorize
Notice that Japanese uses different verbs for different types of symptoms. English speakers often want to translate everything as “I have…” — but Japanese is more precise:
- があります (ga arimasu) — for conditions or states you possess: 熱があります (I have a fever), アレルギーがあります (I have an allergy)
- が出ます (ga demasu) — literally “comes out” — for symptoms that come out of the body: 咳が出ます (I have a cough), 鼻水が出ます (I have a runny nose)
- がします (ga shimasu) — for sensations: 吐き気がします (I feel nauseous), めまいがします (I feel dizzy)
One very common mistake: saying 熱があります correctly but then saying 咳があります for a cough — the verb should be 出ます, not あります. Pay attention to which pattern each symptom uses.
Allergy Vocabulary
If you have food allergies, these phrases are essential:
- 〜アレルギーがあります (〜arerugii ga arimasu) — I have a [food] allergy
- 卵アレルギーがあります (たまごアレルギーが あります) — I have an egg allergy
- 〜は食べられません (〜は たべられません) — I cannot eat [food]
- 〜が入っていますか？(〜が はいって いますか？) — Does this contain [ingredient]?
Hospital and Pharmacy Phrases
Japan's healthcare system is excellent and generally accessible, even for visitors. But navigating a Japanese clinic without any vocabulary can be stressful. These phrases will get you through the basics.
Finding Help
- 病院はどこですか？(びょういん は どこ ですか？) — Where is the hospital?
- 薬局はありますか？(やっきょく は ありますか？) — Is there a pharmacy?
- 救急車を呼んでください。(きゅうきゅうしゃ を よんで ください。) — Please call an ambulance.
- 英語を話せる医者はいますか？(えいご を はなせる いしゃ は いますか？) — Is there a doctor who speaks English?
Hospital Department Names (〜科)
Japanese hospitals and large clinics are organized by specialty. When you arrive, you may need to go to the right department (〜か, ka). Here are the most common:
| Japanese | Reading | English | Go here for… |
|---|---|---|---|
| 内科 | ないか (naika) | Internal medicine | Fever, cold, stomach pain, general illness |
| 外科 | げか (geka) | Surgery | Injuries, wounds, post-surgical care |
| 耳鼻科 / 耳鼻咽喉科 | じびか / じびいんこうか | ENT (ear, nose, throat) | Ear pain, sinus issues, throat problems |
| 皮膚科 | ひふか (hifuka) | Dermatology | Rashes, skin conditions, allergic reactions on skin |
| 整形外科 | せいけいげか (seikei geka) | Orthopedics | Bone/joint pain, fractures, back pain |
| 歯科 | しか (shika) | Dentistry | Tooth pain, dental checkups |
| 眼科 | がんか (ganka) | Ophthalmology | Eye problems, vision issues |
| 産婦人科 | さんふじんか (sanfujinka) | OB-GYN | Pregnancy, women's health |
At the Reception Desk
- 保険証はありますか？(ほけんしょう は ありますか？) — Do you have a health insurance card?
- 初めてです。(はじめて です。) — This is my first time (here).
- 予約が必要ですか？(よやく が ひつよう ですか？) — Do I need a reservation / appointment?
- どのくらい待ちますか？(どのくらい まちますか？) — How long is the wait?
- 日本語がよくわかりません。(にほんご が よく わかりません。) — I don't understand Japanese well.
What the Doctor Might Say
- いつからですか？(itsu kara desu ka？) — Since when? (How long have you had this?)
- どこが痛いですか？(どこが いたいですか？) — Where does it hurt?
- アレルギーはありますか？(アレルギーは ありますか？) — Do you have any allergies?
- 熱を測りましょう。(ねつを はかりましょう。) — Let's take your temperature.
- 血液検査をします。(けつえきけんさ を します。) — We'll do a blood test.
- レントゲンを撮ります。(レントゲンを とります。) — We'll take an X-ray.
Here's how that clinic conversation sounds in practice:
Yukaどこが痛いですか？(どこが いたいですか？) — Where does it hurt?
Rei喉が痛いです。昨日からです。(のどが いたいです。きのうから です。) — My throat hurts. It started yesterday.
Taking Medicine
At a pharmacy, you may see or hear instructions like these:
- 〜を1日3回飲んでください。(〜を いちにち さんかい のんで ください。) — Take [medicine] 3 times a day.
- 食後に飲んでください。(しょくご に のんで ください。) — Take it after meals.
- 食前に飲んでください。(しょくぜん に のんで ください。) — Take it before meals.
- 副作用はありますか？(ふくさよう は ありますか？) — Are there any side effects?
Key time words for medicine instructions:
- 食後（しょくご）— after meals
- 食前（しょくぜん）— before meals
- 就寝前（しゅうしんまえ）— before bed
- 1日2回（いちにち にかい）— twice a day
- 1日3回（いちにち さんかい）— three times a day
Body Part Idioms
Japanese is rich with idioms built around body parts — and many of them reveal interesting cultural attitudes toward the body, emotions, and relationships. These are worth learning because you'll hear them constantly in conversation, TV dramas, and everyday speech.
| Idiom | Reading | Literal meaning | Actual meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 頭が固い | あたまが かたい | hard head | stubborn, inflexible |
| 目が高い | めが たかい | high eyes | have good taste / a discerning eye |
| 手が早い | てが はやい | fast hands | quick with work; also: moves fast romantically |
| 口が重い | くちが おもい | heavy mouth | reserved, doesn't talk much |
| 腹が立つ | はらが たつ | stomach stands up | to get angry |
| 骨が折れる | ほねが おれる | bones break | tedious, takes a lot of effort |
| 肩の荷が下りる | かたのにが おりる | weight lifts from shoulder | feeling of relief (burden lifted) |
| 目をつぶる | めを つぶる | close one's eyes | to overlook / turn a blind eye |
| 手を貸す | てを かす | lend a hand | to help someone |
| 耳が痛い | みみが いたい | ears hurt | painful to hear (true but uncomfortable criticism) |
A Closer Look at 腹 vs お腹
You may notice that body idioms often use 腹（はら, hara）rather than the more polite お腹（おなか, onaka）.
- お腹 is the word you use in everyday, polite speech: お腹が痛いです / お腹が空きました (I'm hungry).
- 腹 (without お) is used in idioms and more blunt or literary language: 腹が立つ (angry), 腹が痛い (stomach hurts — blunt/masculine register), 腹を決める (to make up one's mind, lit. “to settle the stomach”).
This distinction reflects a broader pattern in Japanese where body-related idioms often use the older, plainer form of a word, while polite prefix お is added for everyday politeness.
Example Idiom Sentences
- あの先生は頭が固くて、新しいアイデアを聞かない。(あのせんせいは あたまが かたくて、あたらしいアイデアを きかない。) — That teacher is stubborn and won't listen to new ideas.
- このプロジェクトは骨が折れる仕事だ。(この プロジェクトは ほねが おれる しごとだ。) — This project is really a lot of hard work.
- 試験が終わって、肩の荷が下りた。(しけんが おわって、かたのにが おりた。) — The exam is over and I feel a huge sense of relief.
- 彼の言葉は耳が痛かった。(かれのことばは みみが いたかった。) — His words were hard to hear (but true).
Common Body Parts Mistakes English Speakers Make
Even learners who have memorized the vocabulary list make these mistakes in actual conversation. Here's what to watch out for.
Mistake 1: Confusing 足 and 脚
Both are read あし. In conversation, 足 is the safe default for both “foot” and “leg.” Using 脚 (the leg-specific kanji) in the wrong context won't cause confusion, but knowing the distinction helps you read medical texts and understand doctors more accurately. The key point: if you're talking about 足首 (ankle), 足の裏 (sole), or つま先 (toes), those all use the 足 kanji — not 脚.
Mistake 2: Confusing 手 (te) and 腕 (ude)
In English, “hand” is fairly specific. In Japanese, 手（て）can refer to the hand or sometimes the arm-and-hand together, especially in idioms (手を貸す — lend a hand; 手が届く — within reach). However, when you're describing a specific body injury or location, 腕（うで）is the arm and 手（て）is the hand.
- 腕が痛いです — My arm hurts.
- 手が痺れています (てが しびれています) — My hand is numb.
Mistake 3: Adding 私の Before Body Parts Unnecessarily
As mentioned in the Lower Body section, dropping 私の (my) is the natural thing to do. This is especially important when you're at the doctor — rattling off 私の足が私の腰が… sounds stiff and foreign. Just say 足が痛いです, 腰が痛いです — the context makes it obvious you're talking about yourself.
Mistake 4: Forgetting が in Symptom Phrases
The particle が is required in symptom expressions. Without it, the sentence is grammatically broken.
- ❌ 熱あります — Wrong (missing が)
- ✅ 熱があります — Correct
- ❌ 咳出ます — Wrong
- ✅ 咳が出ます — Correct
This happens because English learners sometimes hear fast speech where が gets reduced or swallowed — but in your own output, always include it.
Mistake 5: Using お腹 in a Medical Context When 胃 Is Needed
お腹が痛いです is understood, but if your pain is specifically in the stomach organ — after eating, related to acid, etc. — a doctor will likely clarify with 胃はどうですか？ (How is your stomach?). Knowing that 胃 is the clinical term helps you understand and respond more accurately.
Mistake 6: Translating Body Idioms Literally
腹が立つ does not mean someone's stomach is literally standing up. 骨が折れる does not mean anyone is breaking their bones. 耳が痛い does not mean your ears physically hurt (unless they do — context will make it clear). Japanese body idioms must be learned as fixed expressions, just like English idioms: “break a leg” has nothing to do with legs.
Quick Quiz: Japanese Body Parts and Health
Test yourself on what you've learned. Fill in the blank with the correct Japanese word or phrase.
- You want to say “My knee hurts.” → _____ が痛いです。
- You want to say “I have a fever.” → _____ があります。
- You want to say “I feel nauseous.” → 吐き気が _____。
- A doctor asks いつから ですか？ What are they asking?
- Which word is more appropriate at a pharmacy: お腹 or 胃？
Answers
- ひざ (hiza) が痛いです。
- 熱（ねつ）があります。
- 吐き気が します (shimasu)。
- They are asking: “Since when? / How long have you had this symptom?”
- 胃（い）— お腹 is everyday speech; 胃 is the clinical/organ term.
Leave a Comment!
Do you have a body part word or health phrase in Japanese that you found surprisingly useful — or confusingly different from what you expected? Share it in the comments below! Bonus points if you've used one of these phrases in a real clinic or pharmacy in Japan. Your experience could help another learner. 🇯🇵
Keep Learning
Body part vocabulary connects naturally to food, travel, and adjective grammar. Here are three JPyokoso articles that build on what you've learned today:
