Translation guide
How to express that food, drink, or other perishable items spoil, rot, or become inedible in Japanese.
The most common meaning: food or drink becomes rotten, stale, or unsafe to eat.
General verb for food rotting or spoiling. Covers meat, vegetables, fruit, etc. Often implies a bad smell.
This meat has already gone bad.
Because it's hot, food goes bad quickly.
Often used for food that goes bad, especially fruit, vegetables, or prepared dishes. Can imply bruising or spoilage without necessarily a strong smell.
This apple is going bad.
If you don't put it in the fridge, it'll go bad quickly.
Literally 'become bad'. A softer, more general expression. Common in everyday speech.
The milk seems to have gone bad.
Hasn't this yogurt gone bad?
Casual, meaning 'become no good'. Used for food that has spoiled.
If you don't freeze it, it'll go bad right away.
Specifically for milk, cream, or dairy products turning sour or curdling.
Specifically for produce that decays, gets moldy, or becomes mushy.
General term for rotting produce.
The tomatoes have gone bad.
Often used for fruit/vegetables that are starting to spoil, get bruised, or go soft.
Literally 'mold grows'. Used when food gets moldy.
The bread has gone moldy.
For prepared dishes, rice, or leftovers that go off.
For bread, crackers, or pastries that lose freshness and become hard or dry.
Literally 'become hard'. The most natural way to say bread has gone stale.
The bread has gone stale.
Describes bread or rice that has become dry and crumbly.
These cookies have gone stale.
For bread or crackers that have absorbed moisture and become soggy, not exactly stale but 'gone bad' in texture.
For eggs that have spoiled.
For food that passes its expiration date or goes off in the package.
腐る (kusaru) strongly implies rotting and bad smell, often used for meat, fish, and dairy. 傷む (itamu) is softer, often used for fruit, vegetables, and prepared food that is starting to spoil. 悪くなる (waruku naru) is a general, mild expression suitable for any food. In casual speech, ダメになる (dame ni naru) is also common.
Meat rots, but vegetables often just go bad.
For bread that has gone hard or stale, use 固くなる (kataku naru) or パサパサになる (pasapasa ni naru). 腐る would imply moldy, rotten bread, which is a different situation.
The bread has gone stale.
バナナが傷みやすい。
Bananas go bad easily.
カレーが腐ってるかも。
The curry might have gone bad.
せんべいがふやけた。
The rice crackers have gone soggy.
Don't drink milk that's past its use-by date.