Translation guide
The English word 'arousal' covers a wide range of meanings from waking up to sexual excitement. This guide focuses on the most common and useful Japanese expressions for an English-speaking learner, organized by intended meaning.
To express becoming sexually excited or the state of being sexually aroused.
General term for excitement, including sexual arousal. Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts.
He got aroused watching that movie.
Explicitly means 'sexual arousal'. Used in medical, psychological, or formal contexts.
Feel sexual arousal.
Slang/casual expression for feeling horny or sexually aroused. Used among friends or in very informal settings.
I got turned on looking at her.
To express the act of waking from sleep or becoming more alert.
Means 'awakening' or 'arousal' in the sense of waking up. Used in both literal and figurative contexts (e.g., spiritual awakening).
Morning arousal comes too early.
Common phrase meaning 'to wake up'. More colloquial than 覚醒.
Transitive verb meaning 'to wake someone up' or 'to bring to consciousness'. Often used with 目を.
To express the act of provoking interest, curiosity, or strong emotion.
Means 'stimulation' or 'excitement'. Can be used for mental or emotional arousal.
The book aroused my curiosity.
Phrase meaning 'to arouse interest'. Commonly used in everyday conversation.
His story aroused my interest.
Formal term meaning 'arousal' or 'evocation' of emotions, memories, etc. Often used in written or academic contexts.
In polite conversation, directly saying 'arousal' can be too blunt. Use euphemisms or indirect expressions like 興奮 (excitement) or 性的な感情 (sexual feelings) depending on context.
to have sexual feelings
覚醒 (kakusei) is more formal and often used in medical or technical contexts (e.g., sleep arousal disorders). 目を覚ます (me o samasu) is the everyday phrase for waking up.
彼は突然目を覚ました。
He suddenly aroused from sleep.
I aroused her from sleep.
The music arouses strong emotions.