Translation guide
The English word 'damage' covers physical harm, injury, negative effects, and loss. In Japanese, different words are used depending on what is damaged and the nature of the damage.
Express that something is broken, scratched, dented, or otherwise physically harmed.
General word for a scratch, cut, flaw, or injury on a surface or body. Often used for visible damage.
車に傷がついた。
The car got scratched.
This desk has a scratch.
Damage involving breakage or destruction, often used for items, machinery, or in formal contexts like reports.
It was damaged during shipping.
Replace the damaged parts.
Injury or damage, often used for vehicles, buildings, or body parts. Slightly formal.
There was no major damage to the building.
Loanword from English, used for damage in a broad sense, including physical, emotional, or in gaming contexts.
The house was damaged by the typhoon.
Express that someone is hurt, injured, or suffers bodily harm.
Injury, wound. The most common word for personal injury.
He was injured in an accident.
It's not a serious injury.
Damage or loss, often used in legal, financial, or disaster contexts. Can refer to harm to people or property.
Injury, especially in legal or medical contexts. Often used in terms like 傷害罪 (assault).
Express that reputation, health, environment, or a situation is negatively affected.
Bad influence, adverse effect. Commonly used for abstract harm.
Smoking has a negative effect on health.
Damage suffered, harm. Used for victims of crime, disasters, or negative effects.
Also used for abstract damage, like emotional damage or damage to one's image.
Verb meaning to harm, damage, or impair something abstract like health, mood, or trust.
Express monetary loss, expenses incurred due to damage, or compensation.
Express hit points, damage dealt, or system damage.
傷 (kizu) is for scratches, cuts, or minor flaws. 破損 (hason) implies breakage or destruction. 損傷 (sonshō) is a formal term for injury or damage, often used in reports.
The scratch is shallow.
Broken window glass.
Inspect the damage to the vehicle.
While ダメージ is widely understood, it can sound unnatural in formal or traditional contexts. For physical damage to objects, use 傷 or 破損; for financial loss, use 損害.
Unnatural for a scratch on a desk.
被害者に損害賠償を請求する。
Claim damages from the perpetrator.
傷害事件が発生した。
An assault case occurred.
The incident damaged the company's reputation.
The damage from the typhoon was extensive.
He fell victim to fraud.
彼の評判にダメージを与えた。
It damaged his reputation.
健康を損なう。
Damage one's health.
An act that damages trust.
The amount of damage is one million yen.
会社は大きな損失を出した。
The company suffered a huge loss.
Dealt massive damage to the enemy.
システムに損傷が発生した。
The system was damaged.
Natural: The desk has a scratch.