腹はらの虫むしがおさまらない

Meanings

cannot contain one's anger; can't calm down

Idiomatic expression literally meaning 'the bug in one's stomach won't settle'; used when someone is so angry they cannot calm down. Often implies a sense of righteous indignation or frustration that persists.

彼かれの失しつ礼れいな態たい度どに腹はらの虫むしがおさまらない。
I can't contain my anger at his rude attitude.
あの言いい訳わけを聞きいたら、腹はらの虫むしがおさまらなかった。
When I heard that excuse, I just couldn't calm down.

See all 5 example sentences ›

Kanji

腹abdomen, belly, stomach
虫insect, bug, temper
治reign, be at peace, calm down
納settlement, obtain, reap

Related words

腹はらが立たつ
A more general and common expression for 'to get angry'. 腹の虫がおさまらない emphasizes the inability to suppress or calm the anger, often with a nuance of lingering frustration.
虫むしがおさまらない
A shorter variant with the same meaning, omitting 腹の. Slightly less common but interchangeable.

Built from

腹はら+虫むし

Written forms

腹はらの虫むしがおさまらない
Standard kana-mixed spelling; おさまらない is usually written in kana for this idiom.
腹はらの虫むしが治おさまらない
Kanji spelling using 治 (calm, subside); less common but seen.
腹はらの虫むしが納おさまらない
Kanji spelling using 納 (settle, be contained); rare and may be considered nonstandard.

Etymology

From the folk belief that a 'bug' (虫) in the stomach controls emotions; when the bug is agitated, one cannot calm down. The exact origin is uncertain, but the expression is a traditional Japanese idiom.