Translation guide
The act of coughing, or the sound/illness. In Japanese, the noun is 咳 (seki), and the verb is 咳をする (seki o suru) or 咳き込む (sekikomu) for a fit of coughing. Onomatopoeia like ゴホゴホ (gohogoho) and コンコン (konkon) are common for describing cough sounds.
Referring to the physical act or sound of coughing as a noun.
The action of coughing, typically a single or controlled cough.
Describing repeated, uncontrollable coughing, often due to illness or irritation.
Mimicking the sound of a cough in Japanese.
Represents a heavy, chesty cough, often from a cold. Used for deeper, more forceful coughs.
Referring to a cough as a symptom or medical condition.
The most natural way to say 'I have a cough' or 'a cough comes out'. Used for describing the symptom.
The verb 咳く (seku) is rarely used in modern spoken Japanese. Always use 咳をする (seki o suru) for 'to cough' or 咳き込む (sekikomu) for a coughing fit.
咳をする (seki o suru) refers to a single cough or the general act of coughing. 咳き込む (sekikomu) means to cough repeatedly or have a coughing fit, often uncontrollably.
Japanese often uses onomatopoeia like ゴホゴホ (gohogoho) or コンコン (konkon) with the verb する or と to describe the sound of coughing. For example, ゴホゴホする means 'to have a heavy cough'.
I can't stop coughing.
He cleared his throat and then began to speak.
Please don't cough.
A rare, somewhat literary verb meaning 'to cough'. Not commonly used in modern conversation; 咳をする is preferred.
He coughed violently.
To cough repeatedly or have a coughing fit. Implies a series of coughs, often uncontrollable.
Last night I couldn't sleep because I kept coughing.
I started coughing from the smoke.
Literally 'the cough doesn't stop'. A common phrase to describe a persistent cough.
I caught a cold and can't stop coughing.
He's coughing heavily (with a 'gohogoho' sound).
Represents a light, dry cough, like a tickle in the throat. Often used for polite or suppressed coughs.
He cleared his throat with a light cough ('konkon').
A more violent, hacking cough, sometimes associated with choking or severe irritation.
He choked and coughed violently ('gehogeho').
I don't have a fever, but I have a cough.
Cough-variant asthma, a medical term for asthma where the main symptom is coughing.
I was diagnosed with cough-variant asthma.
Cover your mouth when you cough.