Translation guide
The English verb "suffer" covers a wide range of experiences, from physical pain and illness to emotional distress, hardship, and enduring negative situations. Japanese expresses these nuances with different verbs and constructions depending on what is suffered and the nature of the suffering.
To experience physical pain, injury, or a medical condition.
General verb for suffering physically or mentally. Often used for ongoing pain or agony.
彼は長い間、腰痛に苦しんでいる。
He has been suffering from back pain for a long time.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to hurt' or 'to ache'. Used for body parts that are in pain.
Passive form meaning 'to be troubled/afflicted by'. Common for chronic conditions or recurring pain.
彼女は頭痛に悩まされている。
She suffers from headaches.
To experience psychological pain, grief, worry, or mental anguish.
To undergo difficult conditions, poverty, oppression, or misfortune.
To experience a specific negative event such as a defeat, financial loss, or injury.
To tolerate or bear an unpleasant situation without necessarily showing pain.
To endure, put up with, or bear something. Very common for everyday patience.
彼は痛みを我慢した。
He endured the pain. (He suffered in silence.)
To have a specific illness or medical condition.
Formal/literary verb meaning to suffer from an illness. Common in medical contexts.
彼は長年、心臓病を患っている。
He has been suffering from heart disease for many years.
苦しむ (kurushimu) is used for both physical and mental suffering, often with a sense of agony. 悩む (nayamu) is specifically for mental distress, worry, or being troubled by a problem. You can 悩む about a decision, but you 苦しむ from a disease or guilt.
彼は人生の意味について悩んでいる。
He is troubled about the meaning of life.
彼は癌の痛みに苦しんでいる。
He is suffering from cancer pain.
English often uses 'suffer' in contexts where Japanese uses a more specific verb or a passive construction. For example, 'suffer a heart attack' is naturally 心臓発作を起こす (literally 'cause a heart attack') or 心臓発作に見舞われる. Translating 'suffer' as 苦しむ in every case can sound unnatural.
My tooth hurts. (I'm suffering from a toothache.)
Also used for mental suffering, such as from guilt, anxiety, or heartbreak.
彼は罪悪感に苦しんでいる。
He is suffering from guilt.
To worry, be troubled, or agonize over something. Focuses on mental distress and indecision.
将来のことで悩んでいる。
I'm suffering (worrying) about the future.
Literally 'to hurt one's heart'. Used when something causes emotional pain or distress.
そのニュースを聞いて心を痛めた。
I was distressed to hear that news.
Broadly used for suffering from economic hardship, discrimination, war, etc.
多くの人が貧困に苦しんでいる。
Many people are suffering from poverty.
To experience hardship, toil, or have a hard time. Often implies effort and endurance.
彼は若い頃、ずいぶん苦労した。
He suffered (went through) a lot when he was young.
To encounter or suffer something negative (accident, disaster, misfortune).
彼は交通事故に遭った。
He suffered a traffic accident.
Formal verb meaning to suffer or sustain (damage, loss, defeat). Often used in news.
会社は大きな損害を被った。
The company suffered a huge loss.
To receive or sustain (damage, influence, blow). More neutral than 被る.
その地域は台風の被害を受けた。
The area suffered damage from the typhoon.
Passive of 見舞う (to visit/strike). Used for being hit by disasters, misfortune, or illness.
その国は地震に見舞われた。
The country suffered an earthquake.
To bear, withstand, or endure hardship, pain, or criticism. Slightly more formal/literary.
彼女はどんな困難にも耐えられる。
She can endure any hardship.
To contract or come down with an illness. More about the onset than ongoing suffering.
彼はインフルエンザにかかった。
He came down with the flu. (He is suffering from the flu.)