Translation guide
How to express 'bleed' in Japanese, covering physical bleeding, figurative uses, and related expressions.
To lose blood from the body, as from a wound or injury.
The standard, neutral term for bleeding, used in medical and everyday contexts.
傷口から出血している。
The wound is bleeding.
My nose is bleeding and the bleeding won't stop.
A common, slightly more casual way to say 'bleed' (literally 'blood comes out').
転んでひざから血が出た。
I fell and my knee bled.
Literally 'to shed blood', often used for more serious bleeding or in dramatic contexts.
彼は大けがをして、たくさんの血を流した。
He was seriously injured and bled a lot.
To intentionally draw blood, as in medical procedures.
Specifically means to draw blood for testing or donation.
健康診断で採血した。
They drew blood at the health checkup.
Medical term for bloodletting or phlebotomy; rarely used outside historical or specific medical contexts.
昔は治療として瀉血が行われた。
In the past, bloodletting was performed as a treatment.
When color or dye spreads or runs, especially in washing or when wet.
Means color fading or running, commonly used for clothes bleeding dye.
この赤いシャツは色落ちするから、別に洗って。
This red shirt bleeds, so wash it separately.
Means to blur, run, or spread, used for ink, dye, or colors bleeding into each other.
水にぬれてインクがにじんだ。
The ink bled when it got wet.
To drain resources, money, or emotional energy.
Idiomatic expression meaning a painful, bleeding-heart feeling; often used for emotional or financial sacrifice.
家を買うために血を流すような思いで貯金した。
I saved money with a bleeding heart to buy a house.
Means to exploit or squeeze dry; can be used figuratively for bleeding someone financially.
彼らは労働者を搾取して利益を得ている。
They are bleeding the workers dry for profit.
Colloquial phrase meaning to extort or bleed money from someone.
詐欺師に金を巻き上げられた。
I was bled dry by a scammer.
To feel deep sympathy or pity, often excessively.
Literally 'one's heart hurts', used to express that something makes you feel sad or sympathetic.
彼の話を聞いて心が痛んだ。
My heart bled when I heard his story.
Similar to 心が痛む, meaning one's chest/heart aches with sympathy.
そのニュースに胸が痛む。
That news makes my heart bleed.
To release air or fluid from a system, like bleeding brakes.
Means to bleed air from a hydraulic system, commonly used for brakes.
ブレーキのエア抜きをした。
I bled the brakes.
General term for bleeding air from a system.
ラジエーターの空気抜きが必要だ。
The radiator needs bleeding.
Directly translating 'bleed' as 出血する in figurative contexts (e.g., 'my heart bleeds') sounds unnatural. Use idiomatic expressions like 心が痛む instead.
心が痛む
My heart bleeds (for you).
出血する is more formal and medical, while 血が出る is everyday speech. Both mean 'to bleed', but 血が出る is more common in casual conversation.
指から血が出た。
My finger bled.
手術中に出血が多かった。
There was a lot of bleeding during the surgery.