Translation guide
This guide covers how to express the state of being angry in Japanese, from mild irritation to intense rage. It includes common adjectives, verbs, and phrases, with notes on formality and intensity.
Expressing that someone is angry or mad in a general sense.
The most common and neutral way to say 'is angry'. It's the te-iru form of 怒る (okoru), indicating a state.
彼は怒っている。
He is angry.
母は私に怒っている。
My mother is angry at me.
Literally 'stomach stands', meaning to get angry or be pissed off. Often used for personal irritation.
彼の態度には腹が立つ。
His attitude makes me angry.
Slang for being irritated or pissed off. Very casual, often used by younger people.
あいつの言い方、マジでムカつく。
The way he talks really pisses me off.
Expressing the act of becoming angry or losing one's temper.
The basic verb for 'to get angry'. Can also mean 'to scold'.
彼はすぐ怒る。
He gets angry easily.
そんなに怒らないで。
Don't get so angry.
Slang for snapping or losing it. Implies a sudden outburst of anger.
彼はついにキレた。
He finally snapped.
Literally 'comes to head', meaning to get angry or be pissed off. Similar to 腹が立つ.
Expressing strong anger, fury, or rage.
Formal/literary term for 'to be furious' or 'to rage'.
彼はその知らせに激怒した。
He was furious at the news.
To be in a blind rage, to rage wildly.
彼は怒り狂って部屋を飛び出した。
He stormed out of the room in a rage.
To be indignant or resentful. Often used for moral outrage.
彼の不正には憤慨する。
I am indignant at his injustice.
Expressing mild anger or irritation, often ongoing.
Onomatopoeic word for being irritated, frustrated, or on edge.
渋滞でイライラする。
I get irritated in traffic jams.
彼の話し方にイライラした。
I was irritated by the way he spoke.
To be irritated or annoyed. Slightly more formal than イライラする.
彼女は彼の無礼に苛立った。
She was irritated by his rudeness.
Describing an angry look or expression.
Angry face. Simple and common.
彼は怒った顔をしている。
He has an angry look on his face.
Scary face, often implying anger. Can also mean a stern or intimidating look.
そんな怖い顔しないで。
Don't make such an angry face.
Expressing the act of holding back anger.
To suppress one's anger. A straightforward phrase.
彼は怒りを抑えられなかった。
He couldn't contain his anger.
Idiom: 'the string of the patience bag snaps', meaning to lose one's patience and explode in anger.
ついに堪忍袋の緒が切れた。
I finally lost my temper.
Avoid directly translating 'being angry' as 怒っていること (okotte iru koto). This is a nominalization and sounds unnatural in most contexts. Use the state form 怒っている or other expressions depending on the nuance.
怒る (okoru) means 'to get angry' and can imply an emotional reaction. 叱る (shikaru) means 'to scold' or 'to reprimand', often with a disciplinary intent. A parent might 叱る a child without being 怒る.
先生は生徒を叱ったが、怒ってはいなかった。
The teacher scolded the student but wasn't angry.
To describe the state of being angry, use the te-iru form: 怒っている (okotte iru). The plain form 怒る (okoru) refers to the action of getting angry or a habitual tendency.
なんでそんなに怒っているの？
Why are you so angry?
怒ってないよ。
I'm not angry.
彼は不当な扱いに怒っていた。
He was angry at the unfair treatment.
His irresponsibility makes me angry.