When talking about injuries in Japanese, you'll often hear the word けが (kega). This noun simply means 'injury' or 'wound.'
You can use けが for various types of physical harm, from minor scrapes to more serious injuries. For example, if you twisted your ankle, you could say あなたはけがをしましたか (Anata wa kega o shimashita ka?) which means 'Did you get injured?'.
It's a versatile word that you'll frequently encounter in everyday conversation and medical contexts. Remember this word to describe when you or someone else gets hurt.
When talking about injuries in Japanese, you'll often hear the word けが (kega). It's a versatile term that can refer to any kind of injury, from a minor cut to a more serious wound. You can use it in various contexts, whether you're talking about sports injuries, accidents, or just general hurts. It's a good word to know for everyday conversations about health and well-being.
To say "to get injured" or "to be injured," you typically combine けが with the verb する (suru), making it けがをする (kega o suru). For example, if you want to say "I got injured," you'd say けがをしました (kega o shimashita). You can also specify the injured body part using the particle に (ni), like 足にけがをする (ashi ni kega o suru) which means "to injure one's leg."
けが in 30 Seconds
- Use for physical harm like cuts, bruises, or sprains.
- Commonly used when talking about accidents or getting hurt.
- Can be used for both minor and serious injuries.
§ What is けが (kega)?
- Japanese Word
- けが (kega)
- Definition
- injury, wound, harm
けが (kega) is a versatile noun in Japanese that refers to an injury. It's a common word you'll hear in daily conversation and it can cover a wide range of physical harm, from minor cuts and scrapes to more serious wounds. It's an important word to know for describing accidents or medical situations.
§ Examples of けが (kega) in use
サッカーをしていて、けがをしてしまいました。
- Hint
- I played soccer and got an injury.
軽いけがなので、心配いりません。
- Hint
- It's a minor injury, so don't worry.
事故で大きなけがをしました。
- Hint
- I sustained a serious injury in the accident.
§ Similar Words and When to Use Them
While けが (kega) is a general term for injury, Japanese has other words that describe specific types of harm or situations. Knowing these can help you be more precise in your communication.
- 傷 (kizu): This word specifically refers to a "wound," "cut," or "scratch." It emphasizes the visible mark or damage to the skin or surface. You would use 傷 when talking about a cut on your finger, a scratch on your car, or a visible scar.
指に傷ができました。
- Hint
- I got a cut on my finger.
The key difference here is that けが (kega) is the general state of being injured, while 傷 (kizu) is the physical manifestation of that injury – the wound itself.
- 負傷 (fushou): This is a more formal and often used in written contexts or news reports, meaning "injury." It carries a slightly more serious connotation than けが (kega). You'll frequently see this word in reports about accidents, sports injuries, or military contexts.
彼は交通事故で負傷しました。
- Hint
- He was injured in a car accident.
- 外傷 (gaishou): This term refers to an "external injury" or "trauma." It's a more medical or technical term, often used in a hospital or clinical setting to describe injuries that are externally visible or caused by external forces.
外傷の治療を受けました。
- Hint
- I received treatment for an external injury.
When to use けが (kega) over these alternatives:
Use けが (kega) as your default, general word for "injury" in most everyday conversations. It's the most common and widely understood term. When you want to specify that the injury is a visible cut or scratch, lean towards 傷 (kizu). If you're in a more formal setting or reading a news report, 負傷 (fushou) might be more appropriate. For medical contexts focusing on external damage, 外傷 (gaishou) is the correct term. However, remember that けが (kega) is rarely wrong and serves as a good umbrella term for various types of physical harm.
How Formal Is It?
"昨日、サッカーの試合で負傷しました。(I sustained an injury in a soccer match yesterday.)"
"転んでけがをしてしまいました。(I fell and got injured.)"
"その傷、痛そう。(That wound looks painful.)"
"転んで、いたいいたいになった。(I fell and got a boo-boo.)"
"バイト中にやっちまった。しばらく働けない。(I messed myself up at work. Can't work for a while.)"
Fun Fact
The kanji 怪我 (kega) is ateji, meaning the characters were chosen for their sounds rather than their meanings. Individually, 怪 means 'suspicious' and 我 means 'I/me'. So, literally, it's 'suspicious me,' but it has no relation to the current meaning.
Examples by Level
激しい運動のしすぎで膝を痛めてしまい、しばらく安静にする必要があった。
I injured my knee from overdoing strenuous exercise and had to rest for a while.
幼い頃に自転車で転んで頭に大きな怪我を負ったが、幸いにも後遺症はなかった。
When I was little, I fell off my bike and sustained a serious head injury, but fortunately, there were no lasting effects.
料理中に誤って指を切ってしまい、止血するために絆創膏を貼った。
I accidentally cut my finger while cooking and put on a band-aid to stop the bleeding.
彼は仕事で重い荷物を持ち上げた際に腰を痛め、しばらくの間、コルセットをつけていた。
He hurt his back lifting heavy items at work and wore a back brace for a while.
サッカーの試合中に相手選手と激しく接触し、足首を捻挫する怪我を負った。
During the soccer match, I had a strong collision with an opposing player and suffered a sprained ankle.
転倒して腕を骨折してしまい、全治するまでに数ヶ月かかる見込みだ。
I fell and broke my arm; it's expected to take several months to fully recover.
登山中に足を滑らせて崖から落ちそうになったが、幸い軽傷で済んだ。
While hiking, I slipped and almost fell off a cliff, but luckily I only sustained minor injuries.
子供が遊んでいてテーブルの角に頭をぶつけ、大きなこぶができてしまった。
The child was playing and bumped their head on the corner of the table, resulting in a large bump.
How to Use It
When talking about an injury in Japanese, you'll most often use the word けが (kega). It's a general term that can refer to a wide range of injuries, from minor scrapes to more serious wounds. You can use it in phrases like けがをする (kega o suru) which means 'to get injured' or 'to suffer an injury,' and けがを治す (kega o naosu) meaning 'to heal an injury.'
A common mistake for English speakers is to confuse けが (kega) with 病気 (byōki), which means 'illness' or 'sickness.' While both relate to health, けが specifically refers to physical harm or damage to the body, often from an accident, whereas 病気 refers to a disease or illness. So, you wouldn't say けがです when you have a cold; you'd say 病気です. Another mistake is to always directly translate 'injured' as けがした (kegashita) without the particle を (o) and the verb する (suru). Remember to use けがをしました (kega o shimashita) for 'I got injured.'
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Imagine a 'keg' of beer falling on someone's foot, causing an 'injury'. Keg-ga (けが) = injury.
Visual Association
Picture a 'keg' and someone saying 'ah!' because they got an 'injury'. Visualize the word 'けが' written on a bandage wrapped around an injured limb.
Word Web
Challenge
Try to say 'I got an injury' in Japanese. (Hint: けがをしました)
Word Origin
From Classical Japanese
Original meaning: wound, injury
JaponicCultural Context
Injuries are a common topic in daily conversation, and understanding how to talk about them is very practical. For example, when you visit a doctor, they will likely ask about any けが you might have. It's also common to express concern by asking if someone has a けが when they fall or get into an accident.
Test Yourself 78 questions
昨日、サッカーをしていて、足を____しました。
The sentence talks about injuring one's leg while playing soccer yesterday. 'けが' (kega) means 'injury'.
転んで、ひざに____をしました。
The sentence describes falling down and getting an injury on the knee. 'けが' (kega) fits this context.
料理中に指を____してしまいました。
The sentence is about injuring a finger while cooking. 'けが' (kega) is the correct word for 'injury'.
彼はテニスで____をして、しばらく休んでいます。
The sentence says he is resting for a while because of an injury from tennis. 'けが' (kega) is the appropriate word here.
____をしないように、気をつけてください。
The sentence means 'Please be careful not to get injured.' 'けが' (kega) is the correct term.
小さい____ですが、病院に行きました。
The sentence implies that even though it was a small injury, they went to the hospital. 'けが' (kega) fits the context of 'injury'.
You fell and hurt your knee. Write a short sentence in Japanese saying you have a knee injury.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
ひざにけがをしました。
Your friend got an injury playing soccer. Write a short sentence in Japanese saying your friend has an injury.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
友達はけががあります。
You saw someone fall. Write a question in Japanese asking if they are injured.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
けがは大丈夫ですか？
What happened to B?
Read this passage:
A: どうしましたか？ B: 転びました。足にけがをしました。 A: 病院に行きますか？ B: はい、行きます。
What happened to B?
B explicitly states '転びました。足にけがをしました。' (I fell. I injured my leg.)
B explicitly states '転びました。足にけがをしました。' (I fell. I injured my leg.)
What did the person do after getting a small injury?
Read this passage:
公園で遊びました。でも、少しけがをしました。痛いです。家に帰ります。
What did the person do after getting a small injury?
The last sentence says '家に帰ります。' (I will go home.)
The last sentence says '家に帰ります。' (I will go home.)
Where is the injury?
Read this passage:
昨日、スポーツをしました。今日、腕にけががあります。少し痛いです。
Where is the injury?
The passage says '腕にけががあります。' (I have an injury on my arm.)
The passage says '腕にけががあります。' (I have an injury on my arm.)
This sentence means 'He got injured.' The correct order is 'Kare wa kega o shita.'
This sentence means 'She got injured.' The correct order is 'Kanojo wa kega o shita.'
This means 'Be careful not to get injured.' The correct order is 'Kega o shinai yō ni ki o tsukete.'
昨日、サッカーをしていて、足を____しました。
The sentence describes getting an injury to the leg while playing soccer yesterday. 'けが' (kega) means injury. 'びょうき' (byouki) means sickness, 'つかれ' (tsukare) means tiredness, and 'ねつ' (netsu) means fever.
転んで、膝に少し____をしてしまいました。
The sentence means 'I fell and got a small injury on my knee.' 'けが' (kega) fits this context perfectly. 'じこ' (jiko) means accident, 'いたみ' (itami) means pain, and 'ふあん' (fuan) means anxiety.
料理中に指に____をしました。少し痛いです。
The sentence means 'I got an injury on my finger while cooking. It's a little painful.' 'けが' (kega) is the correct word for injury in this context. 'ゆびわ' (yubiwa) means ring, 'さけ' (sake) means alcohol, and 'かぜ' (kaze) means cold (illness).
彼の____はすぐに治りました。
The sentence means 'His injury healed quickly.' 'けが' (kega) is the only noun option that makes sense here. The other options are adjectives.
スポーツをする時は____に気をつけましょう。
The sentence means 'When playing sports, let's be careful about injuries.' 'けが' (kega) fits the context of sports and caution. The other options are animals or vehicles and don't fit.
その____は重くなくて、安心しました。
The sentence means 'I was relieved that the injury was not serious.' 'けが' (kega) is the only noun that makes sense in this context of being serious or not serious. The other options are 'meal', 'work', and 'room'.
Which of these means 'injury'?
けが (kega) directly translates to injury.
You want to say 'I got an injury.' Which word completes the sentence: 私は___をしました。
けがをする (kega o suru) is a common way to say 'to get an injury' or 'to injure oneself'.
If someone falls and hurts their leg, what did they get?
Falling and hurting oneself results in an injury (けが).
The word けが (kega) refers to an illness.
けが (kega) means injury, not illness. 病気 (byouki) means illness.
If you have a cut on your hand, you have a けが (kega).
A cut is a type of injury, so it falls under けが (kega).
You can use けが (kega) to describe feeling healthy and energetic.
けが (kega) means injury, the opposite of feeling healthy or energetic. 元気 (genki) is used for feeling healthy.
This sentence means 'He got injured playing soccer.' The particle で indicates the means or cause.
This means 'I got a minor injury on my leg.' 足に (ashini) means 'on my leg'.
This means 'Be careful not to get injured.' しないでください is a polite negative command.
This sentence describes someone getting injured during a soccer game. The particle 'は' marks the topic, 'の' connects 'サッカー' and '試合', and '中に' means 'during'.
'小さい' means small, 'けがでも' means 'even a small injury'. '手当てを してください' means 'please treat (it)'.
'転んで' means 'fell down', 'ひざに' means 'on the knee', and 'けがを してしまった' means 'ended up getting an injury'.
What happened yesterday during soccer?
What is the speaker's assessment of his injury?
Where did the speaker get a minor injury?
Read this aloud:
運動する時は、けがをしないように気をつけましょう。
Focus: けが (kega)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
幸い、その事故では誰もけがをしませんでした。
Focus: けが (kega)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
医者によると、そのけがは完治するのに時間がかかるとのことです。
Focus: けが (kega)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
You witnessed a minor accident at a train station. Describe what happened, focusing on the injury sustained by one of the individuals. Include who was involved, what kind of injury it was, and any immediate actions taken. Use formal Japanese.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
昨日、駅のホームで小さな事故を目撃しました。乗客の一人が急いでいたため、足を踏み外して転倒し、腕に軽いけがをしました。すぐに駅員が駆けつけ、応急手当てをしていました。幸い、大きなけがではなかったようです。
Imagine you are a doctor explaining a patient's injury to their family. Describe the injury, its severity, and the recovery process. Emphasize the importance of following medical advice. Use polite and clear Japanese.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
患者様は、転倒により足首をねんざされました。幸い骨折はございませんが、しばらくは安静にしていただく必要がございます。治療とリハビリをしっかり行えば、数週間で回復が見込まれます。処方された薬を指示通り服用し、無理をなさらないようにお願いいたします。
You are writing a short blog post about common sports injuries and how to prevent them. Focus on one specific type of injury and provide practical advice for prevention. Use casual but informative Japanese.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
みんな、スポーツしてる？ 今日は、よくあるスポーツのけが、特に「ねんざ」について話そうと思うんだ。ねんざは足首や手首によく起こるけがで、準備運動不足が原因だったりするんだよね。予防のためには、運動前にはしっかりストレッチをして、体に合った靴を選ぶことが大事！もしけがしちゃったら、無理せずすぐに休んでね。
この文章から、子供が公園でどのようなけがをしたと推測できますか？
Read this passage:
先日、公園で遊んでいた子供が転んで膝を擦りむくけがをしました。すぐに付き添いの母親が駆けつけ、持っていた消毒液で手当てをしました。幸い、出血は少なく、子供もすぐに泣き止んで遊びに戻りました。しかし、念のため帰宅後に再度傷の様子を確認し、清潔に保つように注意しました。
この文章から、子供が公園でどのようなけがをしたと推測できますか？
「膝を擦りむくけが」と書かれており、これは擦り傷を意味します。
「膝を擦りむくけが」と書かれており、これは擦り傷を意味します。
この文章で、登山中のけがを防ぐために特に強調されていることは何ですか？
Read this passage:
登山は素晴らしい体験ですが、常にけがのリスクが伴います。特に、急な天候の変化や滑りやすい道での転倒は避けたいものです。万が一のけがに備え、救急セットの携帯、十分な水分補給、そして無理のない登山計画が不可欠です。また、単独での登山は避け、経験者と一緒に行くことを強くお勧めします。
この文章で、登山中のけがを防ぐために特に強調されていることは何ですか？
「万が一のけがに備え、救急セットの携帯」と「単独での登山は避け、経験者と一緒に行くことを強くお勧めします」という記述があります。
「万が一のけがに備え、救急セットの携帯」と「単独での登山は避け、経験者と一緒に行くことを強くお勧めします」という記述があります。
スポーツ選手にとって、けがの予防が非常に重要である主な理由は何ですか？
Read this passage:
スポーツ選手にとって、けがはキャリアを左右する重大な問題です。一度大きなけがをしてしまうと、復帰までに長い時間がかかり、場合によっては以前のようなパフォーマンスを発揮できなくなることもあります。そのため、日頃からの体調管理、適切なトレーニング、そして専門家によるケアが非常に重要となります。けがの予防は、選手の成功に直結すると言えるでしょう。
スポーツ選手にとって、けがの予防が非常に重要である主な理由は何ですか？
「一度大きなけがをしてしまうと、復帰までに長い時間がかかり、場合によっては以前のようなパフォーマンスを発揮できなくなることもあります」と述べられています。
「一度大きなけがをしてしまうと、復帰までに長い時間がかかり、場合によっては以前のようなパフォーマンスを発揮できなくなることもあります」と述べられています。
This sentence describes someone sustaining a minor injury in a recent accident. The particles and verb endings are crucial for correct ordering.
This sentence means the doctor said the injury would take time to heal completely. Understanding '完治するのに時間がかかる' (to take time to heal completely) is key.
This sentence means she fell and suffered a bad injury to her knee. '負った' (suffered/sustained) is a common verb used with 'けが'.
重度の___にもかかわらず、彼は試合を続けた。
「けが」は「injury」を意味し、文脈に最も適しています。
予防策を講じなければ、___は避けられないだろう。
文脈から、予防策を講じないと「injury」が避けられないと推測できます。
彼のキャリアは、繰り返される___によって短縮された。
「けが」は「injury」を意味し、キャリアの短縮につながる可能性があります。
その事故で彼はひどい___を負った。
事故で負うものは「けが」（injury）が適切です。
スポーツ選手にとって、___は常に懸念事項である。
スポーツ選手にとって「injury」は常に心配の種となります。
適切な応急処置が___の悪化を防ぐ。
応急処置は「けが」（injury）の悪化を防ぐために行われます。
After strenuous exercise, always cool down to prevent injuries.
She fell and sustained a bad injury to her arm, but fortunately there was no fracture.
I still can't forget the big knee injury I got from falling off my bike as a child.
Read this aloud:
登山中に足を滑らせて、軽度のけがをしてしまいました。
Focus: けが (kega)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
スポーツ選手にとって、けがはキャリアを左右する大きな問題です。
Focus: けが (kega)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
日常のちょっとした不注意が、思わぬけがにつながることがあります。
Focus: けが (kega)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'He got injured in sports.' The particle は (wa) marks the topic, で (de) indicates the cause or means, and を (o) marks the direct object.
This sentence means 'Many people were injured in that accident.' で (de) indicates the cause, の (no) shows possession, and が (ga) marks the subject.
This sentence means 'I'm glad it was only a minor injury.' 軽い (karui) means light/minor, で (de) indicates the state, and 済んでよかった (sunde yokatta) expresses relief that something ended simply.
/ 78 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Remember 'kega' for any kind of physical injury or wound.
- Use for physical harm like cuts, bruises, or sprains.
- Commonly used when talking about accidents or getting hurt.
- Can be used for both minor and serious injuries.
Example
サッカーをしていて、足にけがをしました。
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
More health words
しばらく
B1For a while, for some time.
異変がある
B1To have an unusual change or abnormality.
異常な
B1Abnormal; unusual; irregular.
擦り傷
B1Scratch, graze, abrasion.
吸収する
B1To absorb.
禁酒
B1Abstinence from alcohol; the act of refraining from alcohol.
痛む
A2to hurt; to ache
鍼灸
B1Acupuncture and moxibustion; traditional Chinese medicine treatments.
急性的
B1Acute.
急性な
B1Acute
