Translation guide
How to express extreme hunger in Japanese, from casual to formal.
The speaker is very hungry, often to the point of discomfort.
A very common, casual onomatopoeic phrase meaning 'I'm starving'. Literally 'stomach is peko-peko'.
お腹がペコペコだ。
I'm starving.
もうお腹ペコペコだよ。
I'm already starving.
A dramatic, casual expression meaning 'I'm so hungry I could die'. Very natural among friends.
お腹が空いて死にそうだ。
I'm so hungry I could die.
A blunt, masculine way to say 'I'm hungry'. Often used by men in casual settings.
腹が減ったな。
Man, I'm hungry.
The polite, standard way to say 'I'm hungry'. Suitable for most situations.
すみません、お腹が空きました。
Excuse me, I'm hungry.
A formal or written expression meaning 'I can't stand this hunger'. Not used in casual speech.
空腹でたまらないので、早く食事にしましょう。
I'm unbearably hungry, so let's eat soon.
Referring to actual starvation or severe food deprivation.
The verb meaning 'to starve' in a literal sense. Often used in compound forms.
多くの人が飢えている。
Many people are starving.
To die of starvation. A serious, literal term.
彼は餓死した。
He starved to death.
The noun for 'starvation' or 'famine'. Used in news or formal contexts.
飢餓が深刻な問題だ。
Starvation is a serious problem.
飢える (ueru) means literal starvation and sounds overly dramatic if you just skipped lunch. Use お腹が空いた or ペコペコ instead.
お腹が空いた。
I'm hungry.