Translation guide
This guide covers how to express 'freezing' in Japanese, from literal cold temperatures to figurative uses like freezing in place or freezing food.
Describing extremely cold weather or a very cold environment.
Verb meaning to feel freezing cold, often used for body parts or the whole body. Emphasizes the sensation of being chilled to the bone.
It's so cold my hands are freezing.
Common phrase meaning 'cold enough to freeze' or 'freezing cold'.
It's freezing cold today.
Noun meaning extreme cold or freezing temperatures. Often used in weather forecasts or formal contexts.
Literally 'freezing' as in freezing food or objects, not typically used for weather. Can be used metaphorically for very cold environments.
Describing the act of becoming motionless due to shock, fear, or surprise.
The act of freezing food, water, or other substances.
Verb meaning to freeze something intentionally, especially food. The most common term for freezing in a freezer.
Describing the natural process of a liquid becoming solid due to cold.
Intransitive verb meaning to freeze (for liquids). Used for water, ponds, etc.
凍える (kogoeru) is for the sensation of being freezing cold (body/weather). 凍る (kooru) is for liquids turning solid. 冷凍 (reitou) is for intentional freezing, especially food.
冷凍 (reitou) means freezing in a freezer or for preservation. Using it for weather sounds unnatural. Use 凍える or 極寒 instead.
It was a freezing night.
明日は極寒になるでしょう。
It will be freezing tomorrow.
冷凍庫のような寒さだ。
It's as cold as a freezer.
Verb meaning to freeze solid, often used figuratively for being frozen in place from fear or shock.
I froze on the spot from fear.
She froze in surprise.
Verb meaning to stiffen or harden, used colloquially for freezing up (e.g., in nervous situations).
I froze up when I tried to speak in front of people.
Verb meaning to stand frozen or rooted to the spot, often from shock or fear.
He stood frozen at the sight.
Please freeze the meat.
I used frozen vegetables.
Causative form of 凍る (to freeze), meaning to make something freeze. Can be used for liquids or objects.
I freeze water to make ice.
Formal or technical term for freezing, often used for pipes, assets, or medical procedures.
The pipes froze.
The lake froze.
The water pipe froze and burst.
More formal or technical term for freezing, often used for pipes, roads, or assets.
The road is frozen and slippery.