Translation guide
The English word 'irritated' describes a mild to moderate feeling of annoyance or impatience, often caused by a specific trigger. In Japanese, expressing this feeling depends on the nuance: general annoyance, irritation at a situation, or being bothered by someone's actions. This guide covers common words, phrases, and patterns to sound natural.
Expressing a general feeling of being irritated, annoyed, or frustrated, often in response to a situation or minor inconvenience.
A very common mimetic word for feeling irritated, frustrated, or on edge. Often used for ongoing irritation or stress.
渋滞でイライラする。
I get irritated by traffic jams.
I was irritated by the way he spoke.
A slightly more formal or written word for irritation or impatience. Often used when describing a state of mind.
彼の無責任な態度に苛立った。
I was irritated by his irresponsible attitude.
Casual and common in spoken Japanese. Expresses strong irritation or disgust, often toward a person or situation.
あの店員の態度、マジでムカつく。
That clerk's attitude really irritates me.
Literally 'stomach stands up', meaning to get angry or irritated. Slightly stronger than イライラする, often implying a sense of injustice.
彼の言い訳には腹が立った。
I was irritated by his excuses.
Specifically expressing irritation caused by another person's behavior, words, or attitude.
Use this pattern to specify what or who is causing the irritation.
彼の遅刻にイライラする。
I get irritated by his lateness.
Means 'to get on one's nerves' or 'to rub the wrong way'. Used when someone's words or actions are irritating in a subtle way.
彼の一言が気に障った。
That one remark of his irritated me.
Similar to 気に障る but slightly more old-fashioned or emphatic. Often used when something is particularly vexing.
彼の自慢話が癪に障る。
His boasting gets on my nerves.
Expressing a low-level, fleeting irritation, often due to minor inconveniences or waiting.
An adjective meaning 'irritatingly slow' or 'making one impatient'. Used when something is not progressing as desired.
彼ののろのろした動きがじれったい。
His sluggish movements are irritating.
Similar to じれったい, expressing frustration at a situation that is not going well or is out of one's control.
イライラする is a general feeling of irritation or being on edge, often from stress or minor annoyances. 腹が立つ implies a stronger, more focused anger, often in response to a specific unjust action. イライラする can be used for both people and situations, while 腹が立つ is more commonly directed at people.
待ち時間が長くてイライラする。
The long wait is irritating.
彼の失礼な態度に腹が立った。
I was really irritated by his rude attitude.
The English word 'irritated' can be translated directly as 刺激された (shigeki sareta) in physical contexts (e.g., skin irritation), but for emotional irritation, this is incorrect. Use the expressions in this guide instead.
うまく説明できなくてもどかしい。
It's irritating that I can't explain it well.