Translation guide
Describes a person or animal weighing more than is considered healthy or normal. Japanese has several common adjectives and nouns, with important distinctions between formal/medical terms and everyday expressions.
To say someone is overweight in a neutral or descriptive way, without being overly clinical or rude.
The most common, everyday way to say someone is overweight or fat. It is a descriptive state using the ている form of 太る (to gain weight). Can be used neutrally, but context and tone matter.
彼は少し太っている。
He is a little overweight.
I've been gaining weight lately.
A formal or medical term for obesity. Often used in health contexts, BMI classifications, or news reports. Can sound clinical or harsh in casual conversation.
肥満は健康に悪影響を及ぼす。
Obesity has a negative impact on health.
A softer, somewhat affectionate or euphemistic term for being chubby or plump. Often used for babies, pets, or in a light-hearted way. Can be used for self-description.
この猫はぽっちゃりしていてかわいい。
This cat is chubby and cute.
A blunt, often derogatory term for a fat person. Can be used jokingly among close friends but is generally insulting. Use with extreme caution.
Considered rude and insulting unless used in very specific, close relationships.
あいつはでぶだ。
That guy is a fatso.
To indicate that something exceeds a prescribed weight, such as baggage, freight, or a vehicle.
Literally 'weight over', this is the standard term for exceeding a weight limit, especially for luggage, cargo, or elevators.
スーツケースが重量オーバーで追加料金を払った。
My suitcase was overweight so I paid an extra fee.
A more formal way to say 'exceeds the specified weight'. Used in official contexts or written notices.
手荷物が規定重量を超えている場合は、追加料金が発生します。
If your carry-on baggage exceeds the specified weight, an additional fee will be charged.
To describe a portfolio or investment position that holds a larger proportion of a particular asset than a benchmark index.
The direct loanword from English, used in finance to mean 'overweight' in portfolio allocation. Widely understood in investment contexts.
当ファンドはテクノロジー株をオーバーウェイトしている。
This fund is overweight in technology stocks.
太っている is the general, everyday term for being overweight. 肥満 is clinical and often used in medical or formal contexts (e.g., 肥満率 obesity rate). ぽっちゃり is a soft, often positive or affectionate term for plumpness, commonly used for children, pets, or in fashion contexts (ぽっちゃり体型).
健康診断で肥満と診断された。
I was diagnosed as obese at my health checkup.
ぽっちゃりした赤ちゃん
a chubby baby
The direct translation 'オーバーウェイト' is not used for people in Japanese. It is only used in financial contexts. For people, use 太っている or other terms above.