やけど

Let's talk about やけど (yakedo). This is a useful Japanese word to know, especially for everyday situations. It's a noun, and it means 'burn' or 'scald.' You'll hear it in many contexts, from talking about kitchen accidents to sunburn.

§ Understanding やけど

The core meaning of やけど is damage to the body caused by heat. This can come from various sources: hot liquids, flames, steam, hot objects, or even excessive sun exposure. Think of it as the general term for 'a burn' or 'a scald' in English. It's not usually used for things that are metaphorically 'burning' like emotions, but rather for physical injury.

Meaning

Burn, scald. This refers to physical injury caused by heat.

§ Common Scenarios for やけど

Here are some typical situations where you'd use やけど:

• Kitchen Accidents: If you spill hot water or touch a hot pan.
• Sunburn: Getting too much sun and your skin gets red and painful.
• Touching Hot Objects: Accidentally grabbing a hot lightbulb or iron.
• Fires: In more serious situations, any burn injuries from a fire.

It's a practical word for describing injuries that are pretty common. You'll want to know this one for everyday conversations about health and safety.

*Hint: I got a burn from hot tea.*

*Hint: The sun is strong, so please be careful not to get a sunburn.*

§ Forms and Usage

As mentioned, やけど is a noun. This means you can combine it with verbs like する (suru) to form a verb phrase. This is very common. You can also describe the severity of the burn by adding adjectives.

Common Phrase

やけどをする (yakedo o suru): To get a burn, to suffer a scald.

*Hint: I touched the stove and got a terrible burn.*

Describing a Burn

You can use adjectives like 軽い (karui - light, minor), 重い (omoi - heavy, severe), ひどい (hidoi - terrible, severe) before やけど to describe its intensity.

Knowing やけど will help you communicate about minor injuries, whether you're describing one you've sustained or asking someone if they're alright after an incident. It's a fundamental word for practical daily conversation.

§ What is やけど (yakedo)?

Japanese Word

やけど (yakedo)

Meaning

Burn, scald.

JLPT/CEFR Level

B1

やけど (yakedo) is a straightforward noun that means "burn" or "scald." You use it to talk about injuries caused by heat, chemicals, radiation, or electricity. It's a common word, so it's good to know.

Translation hint

I got a burn from hot tea.

Translation hint

I burned my finger on the stove.

§ Similar words and when to use やけど

While やけど specifically refers to a burn injury, there are other words in Japanese that you might encounter when talking about fire, heat, or damage. Let's look at some of them and how they differ from やけど.

• 火傷 (kasai): This is the kanji for やけど. While 火傷 can be read as やけど, it also has another reading, かさい (kasai), which means "fire" or "conflagration" (a large, destructive fire). When you see 火傷 as かさい, it refers to an event of a fire, not a bodily injury. When you're talking about a burn injury, stick to やけど, or use the hiragana form. The context usually makes it clear, but it's good to be aware.

  昨夜、近くで火災がありました。

  Translation hint

  There was a fire nearby last night.

• 焦げる (kogeru): This is a verb that means "to get burned," "to get scorched," or "to char." You use this when something gets burned, like food in a pan, but it doesn't refer to a physical injury on a person. It's about the state of something becoming burnt.

  パンが少し焦げてしまった。

  Translation hint

  The bread got a little burnt.

• 燃える (moeru): This verb means "to burn" or "to be on fire." It describes the act of combustion, or something catching fire. It's about fire itself, not the injury it might cause.

  紙がよく燃えます。

  Translation hint

  Paper burns easily.

• 焼ける (yakeru): This verb has a few meanings related to burning, baking, grilling, or getting tanned. It describes something being exposed to heat and changing as a result. While it can imply a burn, it's more general and doesn't specifically mean a burn injury like やけど does. For example, you can say 日に焼ける (hi ni yakeru) for getting a suntan, or パンを焼く (pan o yaku) for baking bread.

  日差しで肌が焼けた。

  Translation hint

  My skin got tanned by the sun.

To summarize, when you want to talk about a burn injury to a person or animal, やけど is your go-to word. For other situations involving fire or heat, choose the verb that best fits the context: 焦げる for something getting scorched, 燃える for something being on fire, and 焼ける for general exposure to heat resulting in a change.