Translation guide
The English word 'tickle' can refer to the physical sensation, the act of causing it, or a figurative feeling. This guide covers how to express these in Japanese.
Describing the feeling when someone touches a sensitive part of your body lightly, causing laughter or discomfort.
An i-adjective meaning 'ticklish' or 'feeling ticklish'. Used to describe the sensation.
The soles of my feet are ticklish.
It's so ticklish that I can't help laughing.
Similar to くすぐったい, but can also imply a slightly itchy or irritating tickle. Often used in Kansai dialect.
My back feels ticklish.
The action of lightly touching someone to cause a tickling sensation.
A godan verb meaning 'to tickle'. Transitive.
I tickled my little brother for fun.
Don't tickle me!
A colloquial, onomatopoeic phrase for tickling, often used with children.
When I tickled the baby, she laughed.
Describing a person who is sensitive to tickling.
A noun meaning 'a person who is ticklish' or 'someone who hates being tickled'.
He's ticklish, so he runs away immediately.
A mild irritation or sensation, often in the throat or nose.
To cause someone to feel pleased or amused, as in 'tickle someone's fancy'.
Both mean 'ticklish', but くすぐったい is standard and widely understood. こそばゆい is more common in western Japan and can imply a slightly itchy sensation. In standard Japanese, くすぐったい is safer.
In standard Japanese, use 'くすぐったい'.
English often uses 'tickle' as a noun (e.g., 'a tickle in my throat'), but Japanese typically uses adjectives or verb phrases. Avoid directly translating 'tickle' as a noun.
I have a tickle in my throat. (natural Japanese)
鼻がむずむずする。
My nose tickles.
彼の冗談はいつも私を笑わせる。
His jokes always tickle me.