Translation guide
The English verb 'seethe' has two main meanings: to boil or foam (literal) and to be intensely angry or agitated (figurative). This guide focuses on the figurative sense, which is more common in everyday use. Japanese expresses this through verbs of anger, emotional turmoil, and simmering resentment.
To be extremely angry, often with a sense of barely contained rage or silent fury.
A strong, formal verb meaning 'to be enraged' or 'to be furious'. It conveys intense anger, often outwardly expressed.
彼はその知らせを聞いて激怒した。
He seethed with anger upon hearing the news.
An idiomatic phrase literally meaning 'to boil over with anger'. It vividly describes someone seething with rage, often internally.
彼女は内心怒りで煮えくり返っていた。
She was seething with anger inside.
Means 'can't help being angry' or 'so angry I can't stand it'. It expresses a state of ongoing irritation and seething.
彼の無責任な態度に腹が立って仕方がない。
I'm seething over his irresponsible attitude.
Means 'to be indignant' or 'to resent'. It implies a more righteous anger, often at an injustice.
彼は不当な扱いに憤慨した。
He seethed at the unfair treatment.
An onomatopoeic phrase describing a feeling of disgust or simmering anger, like 'to be pissed off' or 'to feel sick with anger'. Very casual.
あいつの顔を見るだけでムカムカする。
Just seeing his face makes me seethe.
To be filled with intense but unexpressed anger or resentment, often over a period of time.
Literally 'to let anger smolder'. It perfectly captures the sense of seething quietly, with anger burning inside without open expression.
彼は何年も怒りをくすぶらせていた。
He seethed with resentment for years.
Means 'to bear a grudge' or 'to resent'. It implies a deep-seated, long-lasting anger.
彼女は裏切った友人を恨んでいる。
She seethes with resentment toward the friend who betrayed her.
Means 'to be inwardly furious' or 'to rage inside'. It emphasizes the contrast between outward calm and inner turmoil.
彼は平静を装っていたが、内心怒り狂っていた。
He appeared calm but was seething inside.
To be in a state of intense emotional disturbance, not necessarily anger, but often anxiety, excitement, or confusion.
An onomatopoeic verb meaning 'to be noisy' or 'to be in an uproar', but often used for a crowd or one's mind being agitated or unsettled.
不吉な予感に心がざわついた。
My mind seethed with ominous foreboding.
Literally 'emotions swirl'. It describes a seething mass of conflicting feelings.
彼の胸の中では様々な感情が渦巻いていた。
Various emotions seethed within him.
Means 'to be in an uproar' or 'to be tumultuous'. Used for a place or situation that is seething with activity or unrest.
会場は怒号で騒然とした。
The venue seethed with angry shouts.
To bubble up or foam as a result of boiling, often used for liquids or the sea.
The standard verb for 'to boil' or 'to reach boiling point'. It can be used literally for water or figuratively for emotions.
やかんの湯が沸騰している。
The water in the kettle is seething.
Specifically means 'to boil vigorously' or 'to seethe'. Often used for cooking liquids.
鍋のスープが煮え立っている。
The soup in the pot is seething.
Means 'to foam' or 'to froth'. It can describe seething waves or a boiling liquid producing foam.
While 'seethe' can be translated literally as 沸騰する (to boil), using it for anger (e.g., 彼は沸騰している) sounds unnatural. Use idiomatic expressions like 怒りで煮えくり返る or 激怒する instead.
彼は怒りで煮えくり返っている。
He is seething with anger.
Japanese distinguishes between simmering anger (くすぶる, ムカムカする) and explosive anger (キレる, 爆発する). 'Seethe' usually implies the former, so choose words that convey contained rage unless the context suggests an outburst.
The waves seethed against the rocks.