Translation guide
The inability to conceive or produce offspring. In Japanese, the most common and neutral term is 不妊 (funin). This guide covers medical, personal, and agricultural contexts.
The condition of being unable to conceive or cause conception, typically in a medical or general context.
I am undergoing infertility treatment.
To investigate the cause of infertility.
Specifically refers to infertility as a medical condition or diagnosis. Often used in clinical settings.
She was diagnosed with infertility.
Expressing the personal situation of being unable to have children, often with emotional weight.
A natural, everyday way to say 'unable to have children.' It is less clinical and can be used in personal conversations.
We've been married for five years, but we can't have children.
A more poetic and euphemistic expression meaning 'not blessed with children.' It carries a sense of longing and is often used in sensitive contexts.
Specifically referring to infertility in men.
The standard term for male infertility. Used in medical contexts and general discussion.
The cause of male infertility lies in sperm count and motility.
Specifically referring to infertility in women.
The standard term for female infertility.
Hormone therapy is used in the treatment of female infertility.
Inability of animals or plants to reproduce, often in farming or veterinary contexts.
Also used for animals. In agriculture, it can refer to sterile plants or livestock.
This cow is infertile and cannot bear calves.
Specifically refers to sterility in plants (failure to bear fruit or seeds). A technical term in botany and agriculture.
This variety has high sterility.
Discussing infertility as a societal issue or abstract concept.
Refers to the issue or problem of infertility in society.
The infertility problem is one cause of the declining birthrate.
While 不妊の (funin no) can be used attributively, it is often more natural to rephrase the sentence. For example, instead of 'She is infertile,' say '彼女は不妊症だ (She has infertility)' or '彼女は子供ができない (She cannot have children).'
不妊 (funin) is the general state or concept of infertility, while 不妊症 (funinshou) is the medical diagnosis. In casual conversation, 不妊 is sufficient, but in medical records, 不妊症 is used.
For many years they were not blessed with children, but finally they were blessed with one.