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B1 noun 13 min read

過食

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 過食 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 過食 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you don't need to use the word '過食' (kashoku) often. Instead, you will mostly use '食べ過ぎ' (tabesugi). 'Tabesugi' is easier because it comes from the verb 'taberu' (to eat) and 'sugiru' (to do too much). When you eat too much rice, you say 'gohan o tabesugita.' 'Kashoku' is a more difficult word used by doctors or in books. Think of 'kashoku' as the 'scientific' name for eating too much. If you see the kanji '過' (over/excess) and '食' (eat), just remember it means 'eating too much.' For now, focus on 'tabesugi' for your daily life, but recognize 'kashoku' if you see it in a health-related poster or a simple news headline. It is a noun, so you can't just say 'kashoku!' by itself; you would say 'kashoku wa dame desu' (overeating is bad).

At the A2 level, you are beginning to learn more formal nouns. '過食' (kashoku) is one of these. You might see it in a simple article about health or hear it in a Japanese class. While 'tabesugi' is for when you are full at a restaurant, 'kashoku' is used to describe a general habit. For example, if you want to say 'Overeating is bad for the body,' you can say 'Kashoku wa karada ni warui desu.' This sounds a bit more like a 'fact' than 'tabesugiru wa karada ni warui.' You should also learn the opposite word, '少食' (shoushoku), which means 'eating a small amount.' Knowing these two together helps you describe different types of people. Remember, 'kashoku' is a noun, so it often goes before 'suru' or 'wa.'

At the B1 level, you should be able to distinguish between '過食' (kashoku) and '食べ過ぎ' (tabesugi) based on the situation. 'Kashoku' is appropriate for discussing health trends, psychological issues like stress eating, or writing a formal essay about lifestyle. You will often see it paired with words like '原因' (geinin - cause) or '結果' (kekka - result). For example, 'Sutoresu ga kashoku no geinin ni naru' (Stress becomes a cause of overeating). You should also be familiar with the suffix '-gimi' (気味), which means 'a little bit.' 'Kashoku-gimi' is a common way to say you have been eating a bit too much lately. This level requires you to understand that 'kashoku' carries a nuance of a 'problematic habit' rather than just a one-time big meal.

At the B2 level, you should use '過食' (kashoku) in professional or academic contexts. You should understand its role in terms like '過食症' (kashokushou - eating disorder). You might encounter it in news reports about the 'metabolic syndrome' crisis in Japan. At this level, you should also be able to use collocations like '過食に走る' (kashoku ni hashiru - to resort to overeating) to describe emotional coping mechanisms. You should understand that 'kashoku' is a more objective, clinical term than 'tabesugi.' When analyzing social issues in Japan, such as the high-pressure work culture, you can use 'kashoku' to explain how people's health is affected. You should also be able to compare it with '飽食' (houshoku - satiety/abundance) when discussing the environment of modern society.

At the C1 level, you should have a nuanced understanding of '過食' (kashoku) within the broader vocabulary of consumption. You should be able to discuss the psychological roots of 'kashoku' using advanced grammar. For instance, you might discuss how 'kashoku' is a symptom of 'shakaiteki kodoku' (social isolation). You should be comfortable reading medical journals or deep-dive sociological essays where 'kashoku' is analyzed alongside 'setsu-shoku shougai' (eating disorders). At this level, you should also recognize the subtle difference between 'kashoku' and 'boushoku' (gluttony), where the latter has a more moralistic or 'wild' connotation, while the former remains clinical. You should be able to use the word in a presentation about public health policy or psychological therapy.

At the C2 level, '過食' (kashoku) is a basic tool in your vast vocabulary. You understand not only its primary meaning but also its historical and cultural weight in a country that shifted from postwar food scarcity to a 'houshoku no jidai' (age of satiety). You can engage in high-level debates about whether 'kashoku' should be treated as a medical addiction or a lifestyle choice. You can interpret the word in literature, where it might symbolize a character's internal emptiness or a critique of capitalist excess. Your usage of the word is indistinguishable from a native speaker, knowing exactly when the clinical 'kashoku' is needed for weight and when the casual 'tabesugi' is needed for social cohesion. You can also explain the kanji's nuances and how they contribute to the word's serious tone.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

過食 in 30 Seconds

過食 (kashoku) is the formal Japanese term for overeating, often used in medical and psychological contexts to describe unhealthy consumption habits.
Unlike the casual 'tabesugi,' 'kashoku' implies a more serious, habitual, or clinical issue related to excessive food intake.
It is frequently associated with stress (stress-induced overeating) and is a core part of terms like 'kashokushou' (binge eating disorder).
Commonly heard in health checkups and seen in academic writing, it reflects a transgression of dietary balance and self-control.

The Japanese word 過食 (kashoku) is a compound noun that literally translates to 'excessive eating' or 'overeating.' It is formed by two kanji characters: 過 (ka), meaning 'to exceed' or 'to pass,' and 食 (shoku), meaning 'to eat' or 'food.' While the colloquial term tabesugi (食べ過ぎ) is frequently used in daily life to describe eating a bit too much at a single meal, kashoku often carries a more clinical, psychological, or serious physiological weight. It is the term used in medical diagnoses, such as kashokushou (過食症), which refers to binge eating disorder or bulimia nervosa. In a broader societal context, kashoku describes the act of consuming calories far beyond what the body requires for maintenance, often linked to stress, emotional distress, or the modern environment of food abundance.

Etymological Nuance: The kanji 過 implies a boundary has been crossed. In the context of eating, this isn't just a full stomach; it is a transgression of biological needs. This makes the word particularly suitable for discussions about health, habit formation, and psychology.

ストレスがたまると、ついつい過食に走ってしまう傾向がある。
(When stress builds up, I have a tendency to resort to overeating.)

In Japanese culture, the concept of hara hachibu (eating until 80% full) is the traditional ideal. Kashoku represents the complete opposite of this virtue. It is often discussed in the media in relation to 'lifestyle diseases' (seikatsu shuukan byou) and the pressures of a high-stress urban society. When you hear this word on the news or in a doctor's office, it is usually a warning or a diagnosis. However, in personal journals or self-reflective contexts, individuals use it to describe their struggle with emotional eating. The word serves as a bridge between a simple physical act and a complex psychological state.

Clinical Usage: In psychiatry, 'kashoku' is part of the term 'sesshoku shougai' (eating disorders). It describes the 'binge' phase where control is lost.

現代社会において、過食は深刻な健康問題の一つとなっている。
(In modern society, overeating has become one of the serious health problems.)

Understanding kashoku requires recognizing the difference between the physical sensation of being overstuffed and the behavioral pattern of excessive consumption. If you eat three plates at a buffet once a year, you might say 'tabesugi.' If you find yourself unable to stop eating large amounts of food every night due to anxiety, the term kashoku is much more appropriate. This distinction is crucial for learners aiming for B1-level proficiency and above, where nuance and register (formal vs. informal) become vital.

Social Context: Japan's food culture is famous for small portions and balance. Thus, 'kashoku' is often viewed through a lens of 'self-management' (jikokanri). Failing to avoid kashoku is sometimes unfairly judged as a lack of self-discipline.

Finally, consider the visual of the kanji. The 'ka' (過) character also appears in words like 'kakon' (past) and 'kanou' (possibility), but in 'kashoku,' it emphasizes the 'excess'—the overflow of food into a space it shouldn't be. This visual representation helps Japanese speakers associate the word with a sense of 'too muchness' that is inherently negative. Whether discussing the global obesity crisis or personal mental health, kashoku remains a powerful, clinical, and descriptive term in the Japanese lexicon.

Using 過食 (kashoku) correctly involves understanding its grammatical role as a noun and its specific collocations. Because it is a Sino-Japanese word (kango), it often functions as a suru-verb (過食する), though the noun form is very common in descriptions of states or tendencies. When you want to say 'I overate' in a casual way, you would typically say tabesugita. However, if you are discussing a habitual problem or a medical observation, kashoku is the preferred term. For example, in a medical report, one might see: 'The patient has a tendency toward kashoku.'

Grammatical Pattern: Noun + ni hashiru: The phrase '過食に走る' (kashoku ni hashiru) means 'to resort to overeating.' The verb 'hashiru' (to run) here indicates a sudden or desperate shift toward a certain behavior, usually as a coping mechanism for stress.

彼は失恋のショックから過食気味になった。
(He became somewhat prone to overeating due to the shock of a breakup.)

Another common suffix is -gimi (気味), which means 'a touch of' or 'a tendency toward.' Adding it to kashoku creates kashoku-gimi, a very useful phrase for describing a slight but noticeable habit of eating too much. This is less severe than a diagnosis but more formal than just saying you're full. In academic or health-related writing, kashoku is often paired with kyozhoku (refusal of food/anorexia). These two are the twin pillars of eating disorder discussions. For instance, 'kashoku to kyozhoku o kurikaesu' means 'to repeat cycles of overeating and fasting/anorexia.' This highlights the cyclical and often uncontrollable nature of the behavior described by kashoku.

Common Collocations

過食を抑える (osaeru) - To suppress overeating
過食の原因 (geinin) - The cause of overeating
過食の習慣 (shuukan) - The habit of overeating

夜間の過食は、睡眠の質を低下させる。
(Overeating at night lowers the quality of sleep.)

When speaking to a friend, if you want to sound more educated or if the topic is serious, you might say, 'Saikin kashoku-gimi nanda' (Recently, I've been overeating a bit). This sounds more like you are analyzing your behavior rather than just making a comment about a specific meal. It suggests a pattern that you are aware of and perhaps concerned about. In contrast, saying 'Saikin tabesugichau' sounds more like a casual, perhaps even lighthearted, admission of a healthy appetite. Lastly, the word is often used in compound nouns. Kashoku-shou (過食症) is the medical term for bulimia or binge eating disorder. Kashoku-dou (過食道) isn't a common term, but you will see kashoku-heki (过食癖), meaning a 'habit or quirk of overeating.' These compounds allow for very precise communication in medical and sociological fields. By mastering kashoku, you move beyond basic 'survival Japanese' and into the realm of 'expressive and analytical Japanese.'

Sentence Structure Example: [Cause/Reason] + により (ni yori) + [kashoku] + が引き起こされる (ga hikiokosareru). Translation: Overeating is triggered by [Reason].

不規則な生活が過食を招くこともある。
(An irregular lifestyle can sometimes lead to overeating.)

In Japan, you are most likely to encounter 過食 (kashoku) in environments related to health, wellness, and psychology. It is a staple word in the annual health checkups (kenkou shindan) that most Japanese employees undergo. During the interview with a physician, if your blood results show signs of high cholesterol or if you have gained significant weight, the doctor might ask, 'Do you have a habit of kashoku?' This use is clinical and direct.

Health Documentaries: Japanese television often features programs about 'modern diseases.' You will hear 'kashoku' used by narrators and experts when discussing the dangers of high-calorie convenience store diets or the link between 'kashoku' and 'metabolic syndrome' (metabo).

テレビの健康番組で、過食の恐ろしさについて特集していた。
(A health program on TV featured a special on the horrors of overeating.)

Another common place to hear kashoku is in the world of online forums and social media. On platforms like Twitter (X) or specialized health apps, people use the hashtag #過食 to share their struggles with binge eating or to find support. In these spaces, the word is used with a high degree of vulnerability. It’s not about enjoying a feast; it’s about feeling out of control. You might see posts like 'Kashoku ga tomara nai' (I can't stop overeating), which conveys a sense of distress.

Educational Settings: In school 'hoken' (health/PE) classes, students learn about balanced diets. 'Kashoku' is taught as a risk factor for obesity and other ailments. It's presented as a behavior to be avoided through 'self-control' and 'nutritional knowledge.'

保健の授業で、過食が体に与える悪影響を学んだ。
(In health class, we learned about the negative effects overeating has on the body.)

You will also find this word in the self-help and psychology sections of bookstores. Titles like 'How to Stop Overeating Through Mindfulness' or 'The Psychology of Kashoku' are common. In these books, authors explore the root causes—such as loneliness, workplace stress, or childhood trauma—that lead to kashoku. This context reinforces the word's status as a behavioral and psychological term rather than a purely physical one. Finally, in the workplace, if someone is taking a leave of absence for mental health reasons, their documentation might mention 'sesshoku shougai' (eating disorders), within which kashoku is a key symptom. It is a word that demands respect and sensitivity because of its association with health and well-being. Whether it's a doctor's advice, a student's textbook, or a stranger's plea for help online, kashoku is a word that signals a deep-seated issue with the relationship between a person and their food.

News Keywords: When the Japanese government releases health statistics, 'kashoku' often appears alongside 'undou-busoku' (lack of exercise) as the primary causes of the rising rate of diabetes.

ニュースによると、若者の間でストレスによる過食が増えているそうだ。
(According to the news, overeating due to stress is reportedly increasing among young people.)

For English speakers learning Japanese, the most common mistake with 過食 (kashoku) is using it in contexts that are too casual. In English, we might say 'I overate at the party' or 'I'm overeating today' quite lightly. However, using kashoku in these situations can make you sound like you are declaring a medical condition. To avoid sounding overly dramatic or clinical, use tabesugi (食べ過ぎ) for everyday occurrences.

Mistake 1: Confusing Kashoku with Tabesugi: Incorrect: 'Kinou no paati de kashoku shita.' (I overate [clinically] at yesterday's party.)
Correct: 'Kinou no paati de tabesugita.' (I ate too much at yesterday's party.)
Explanation: 'Kashoku' implies a habit or a disorder; 'tabesugi' is a simple description of the amount.

× 昼ご飯を過食して、お腹がいっぱいです。
○ 昼ご飯を食べ過ぎて、お腹がいっぱいです。
(I ate too much for lunch and I'm full.)

Another mistake is the grammatical placement of the word. Since kashoku is a noun, it cannot be used directly as a verb without suru. However, even kashoku suru is less common than the noun-based phrases like kashoku ni naru (become overeating-prone) or kashoku o tsuzukeru (continue overeating). Learners often try to force it into the -te form (kashokushite) when tabesugite would be more natural.

Mistake 2: Overusing the Suru-Verb Form: While 'kashoku suru' is grammatically possible, it sounds stiff. In most cases, native speakers prefer using 'kashoku' as a noun to describe a state. For example, 'kashoku no keikou ga aru' (there is a tendency to overeat) is much more natural than 'kashoku shiteiru' (is overeating).

× 彼は毎日過食しています。
○ 彼は毎日食べ過ぎています。 (He eats too much every day.)
○ 彼は過食の傾向があります。 (He has a tendency to overeat.)

A third mistake is confusing kashoku with oogui (大食い). Oogui refers to 'big eating' as a trait or even a talent (like competitive eaters). It is often neutral or even positive in a 'hearty appetite' sense. Kashoku, however, is almost always negative and implies a lack of balance or health. If you call someone who eats a lot of ramen 'kashoku,' it sounds like you're diagnosing them with a disease. If you call them 'oogui,' it sounds like you're impressed by their appetite. Lastly, be careful with the kanji. The first kanji ka (過) is often confused with dai (大) by beginners who think 'big eating' is the word. While daishoku (大食) is a word, it is quite rare and archaic compared to the very common kashoku. Stick to kashoku for formal/clinical contexts and tabesugi for everything else.

Summary of Register

Informal: 食べ過ぎ (tabesugi)
Formal/Medical: 過食 (kashoku)
Character Trait: 大食い (oogui)

× 私は過食が大好きです。
○ 私はたくさん食べるのが大好きです。
(I love eating a lot.) [Saying you love 'kashoku' sounds like saying you love a medical symptom.]

To truly master the semantic field of 'eating habits' in Japanese, one must compare 過食 (kashoku) with its synonyms and related terms. Each word carries a specific nuance that changes the tone of the sentence significantly.

Comparison: 過食 (Kashoku) vs. 食べ過ぎ (Tabesugi): As discussed, 'tabesugi' is the casual, daily-use version. It describes an event (e.g., 'I ate too much cake'). 'Kashoku' is the abstract, clinical noun. You 'tabesugi' at a party, but you 'suffering from kashoku' as a health issue.

お正月はいつも食べ過ぎてしまう。
(I always eat too much during New Year's.) [Natural]

Comparison: 過食 (Kashoku) vs. 暴飲暴食 (Bouin-boushoku): 'Bouin-boushoku' is a four-character idiom (yojijukugo) that literally means 'reckless drinking and reckless eating.' It is used to describe a wild night out or a period of total lack of dietary restraint. While 'kashoku' sounds like a medical problem, 'bouin-boushoku' sounds like a lifestyle choice or a temporary binge.

Comparison: 過食 (Kashoku) vs. 飽食 (Houshoku): 'Houshoku' means 'satiety' or 'being well-fed.' It is often used to describe a society (飽食の時代 - the age of satiety) where food is so abundant that people waste it or become unhealthy. While 'kashoku' is about the individual's act of eating, 'houshoku' is about the state of the environment or society.

私たちは飽食の時代に生きている。
(We live in an age of satiety.)

Comparison: 過食 (Kashoku) vs. 偏食 (Henshoku): 'Henshoku' means 'unbalanced diet' or 'picky eating.' While 'kashoku' is about the *quantity* of food, 'henshoku' is about the *quality* or *variety*. A person could suffer from both 'kashoku' (eating too much) and 'henshoku' (only eating junk food).

By understanding these distinctions, you can choose the word that perfectly fits the situation. If you are writing a blog post about how you ate too much pizza, 'tabesugita' is your friend. If you are writing an essay about the health risks of modern Japanese lifestyles, 'kashoku' and 'bouin-boushoku' are the terms to reach for. If you are discussing the global food crisis, 'houshoku' is the most appropriate term. Mastering these synonyms allows for a high level of precision in Japanese communication.

Quick Reference Table

過食 (Kashoku): Clinical overeating (habit/disorder).
食べ過ぎ (Tabesugi): Casual overeating (one-off event).
暴食 (Boushoku): Gluttony/reckless eating.
飽食 (Houshoku): Societal state of food abundance.
小食 (Shoushoku): Light eater (the opposite).

過食を防ぐためには、規則正しい生活が不可欠だ。
(To prevent overeating, a regular lifestyle is essential.)

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The kanji 過 (ka) also means 'error' or 'mistake' (as in 'ayamachi'). This suggests that from a linguistic standpoint, overeating is seen as a 'mistake' or an 'error in judgment.'

Pronunciation Guide

UK /kɑː.ʃoʊ.ku/

US /kɑ.ʃo.ku/

Japanese does not have stress like English. Instead, it uses pitch accent. For 過食, the pitch starts high on 'KA' and drops on 'SHOKU'.

Rhymes With

美食 (Bishoku - Gourmet eating) 粗食 (Soshoku - Plain eating) 断食 (Danjiki - Fasting) 昼食 (Chuushoku - Lunch) 夜食 (Yashoku - Night snack) 小食 (Shoushoku - Small appetite) 偏食 (Henshoku - Picky eating) 和食 (Washoku - Japanese food)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'shoku' as 'shock'. It should be 'sho' + 'ku'.
Elongating the 'o' in 'sho' too much (making it 'shou'). It is a short 'o'.
Stressing the 'ku' at the end. In Japanese, the final 'u' is often whispered or very short.
Putting an English 'r' sound in 'ka'. It's a pure vowel.
Misplacing the pitch accent and making it sound like 'Kashoku' with a high 'sho'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

The kanji are standard for B1/N3 level. '過' and '食' are both very common, so reading it is relatively easy.

Writing 4/5

Writing '過' requires attention to stroke order and the radical. '食' is basic.

Speaking 3/5

Pronunciation is straightforward, but remembering the pitch accent (high-low) is key.

Listening 3/5

Easily confused with other 'shoku' words like 'shoushoku' if not listening carefully.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

食べる (Taberu) 過ぎる (Sugiru) 食事 (Shokuji) 体 (Karada) 悪い (Warui)

Learn Next

拒食症 (Kyozhokusshou) 摂食障害 (Sesshoku shougai) 肥満 (Himan) 栄養 (Eiyou) 代謝 (Taisha)

Advanced

飽食 (Houshoku) 暴飲暴食 (Bouin-boushoku) 生活習慣病 (Seikatsu shuukan byou) 自己効力感 (Jiko kouryoku kan) 認知行動療法 (Ninchi koudou ryouhou)

Grammar to Know

Using 〜過ぎる (sugiru) with verbs

食べ過ぎる (tabesugiru) - to eat too much.

Using 〜気味 (gimi) for tendencies

過食気味 (kashoku-gimi) - a tendency to overeat.

Noun + に走る (ni hashiru) for resorting to behavior

過食に走る (kashoku ni hashiru) - to resort to overeating.

Using 〜による (ni yoru) for causes

過食による肥満 (himan ni yoru kashoku) - obesity due to overeating.

Noun + を繰り返す (o kurikaesu) for repetition

過食を繰り返す (kashoku o kurikaesu) - to repeat overeating.

Examples by Level

過食は体に良くないです。

Overeating is not good for the body.

Simple [Noun] + wa [Adjective] structure.

私は過食をしません。

I do not overeat.

Using 'kashoku' as the object of the verb 'suru'.

過食に気をつけてください。

Please be careful of overeating.

Using 'ni ki o tsukeru' (be careful of).

これは過食の本です。

This is a book about overeating.

[Noun] + no + [Noun] structure.

父は過食が嫌いです。

My father dislikes overeating.

Using 'ga kirai' to show dislike.

過食をやめましょう。

Let's stop overeating.

Volitional form 'yameyashou' (let's stop).

過食は太る原因です。

Overeating is the cause of getting fat.

'Geinin' means cause.

毎日、過食をしないでください。

Please do not overeat every day.

Negative request 'nai de kudasai'.

ストレスで過食になることがあります。

Sometimes people overeat due to stress.

Using 'de' to show cause/reason.

最近、過食気味なので注意しています。

I'm careful because I've been prone to overeating lately.

'-gimi' means a tendency or a touch of something.

過食を抑えるのは難しいです。

It is difficult to suppress overeating.

'Osaeru' means to suppress or control.

彼女は過食の習慣を直したいです。

She wants to fix her habit of overeating.

'Shuukan' means habit; 'naoshitai' means want to fix.

過食は健康に大きな影響を与えます。

Overeating has a big impact on health.

'Eikyou o ataeru' means to give/have an impact.

冬は過食になりやすい季節です。

Winter is a season where it's easy to overeat.

'-yasui' means easy to do.

過食のせいで、お腹が痛くなりました。

Because of overeating, my stomach started to hurt.

'No sei de' indicates a negative cause.

医者に過食を控えるように言われました。

I was told by the doctor to refrain from overeating.

Passive voice 'iwaremashita' (was told).

心理的な不安が、しばしば過食を引き起こす。

Psychological anxiety often triggers overeating.

'Hikiokosu' is a formal verb for 'to trigger' or 'to cause'.

過食症は、専門家の助けが必要な病気です。

Binge eating disorder is an illness that requires professional help.

'Kashokushou' is the clinical term for the disorder.

ダイエットの反動で過食に走ってしまう人が多い。

Many people resort to overeating as a rebound from dieting.

'Handou' means rebound/reaction; 'ni hashiru' means to resort to.

過食を繰り返すと、胃腸に負担がかかります。

Repeating overeating puts a burden on the stomach and intestines.

'Futan ga kakaru' means to place a burden on.

夜遅くの過食は、肥満の主な原因の一つだ。

Overeating late at night is one of the main causes of obesity.

'Himan' means obesity; 'omo na' means main.

彼は、自分の過食がストレスによるものだと気づいた。

He realized that his overeating was due to stress.

'Niyoru mono' means 'thing caused by'.

過食を防ぐために、よく噛んで食べることが大切です。

To prevent overeating, it is important to chew well while eating.

'Fusegu tame ni' means 'in order to prevent'.

一時的な過食なら心配ないが、続くようなら問題だ。

If it's temporary overeating, there's no need to worry, but if it continues, it's a problem.

'Ichijiteki' means temporary.

現代人は、飽食の環境の中で過食に陥りやすい。

Modern people are prone to falling into overeating within an environment of satiety.

'Ochiiru' means to fall into (a negative state).

過食を単なる意志の弱さと片付けるのは間違いだ。

It is a mistake to dismiss overeating simply as a weakness of will.

'Katazukeru' here means to dismiss or settle a matter simply.

過食と拒食を繰り返す摂食障害に苦しむ若者が増えている。

The number of young people suffering from eating disorders that cycle between overeating and anorexia is increasing.

'Sesshoku shougai' is the umbrella term for eating disorders.

過食の背後には、深い孤独感や自己否定が隠れていることが多い。

Behind overeating, deep feelings of loneliness and self-denial are often hidden.

'Haigo ni' means 'behind' (metaphorically).

過食によるカロリー過多は、生活習慣病の引き金となる。

Calorie excess due to overeating becomes a trigger for lifestyle-related diseases.

'Hikigane' literally means trigger.

感情をコントロールできない時に、過食で心の穴を埋めようとする。

When unable to control emotions, one tries to fill a hole in the heart with overeating.

'Kokoro no ana o umeru' is a common metaphor.

過食を抑制するための薬物療法も、選択肢の一つとして検討される。

Drug therapy to suppress overeating is also considered as one of the options.

'Yokusei' means suppression/restraint.

過食は、身体的な満腹感とは無関係に起こる衝動的な行動である。

Overeating is an impulsive behavior that occurs regardless of physical fullness.

'Mukankei ni' means regardless of/unrelated to.

過食という行為は、しばしば自己処罰の一形態として機能することがある。

The act of overeating can often function as a form of self-punishment.

'Jiko shobatsu' means self-punishment.

社会的なプレッシャーが、潜在的な過食のトリガーを引く。

Social pressure pulls the trigger of latent overeating.

'Senzaiteki' means latent or potential.

過食傾向のある患者に対しては、認知行動療法が有効であるとされる。

Cognitive behavioral therapy is said to be effective for patients with overeating tendencies.

'Ninchi koudou ryouhou' is CBT.

過食が慢性化すると、自己効力感の低下を招き、さらなる悪循環に陥る。

When overeating becomes chronic, it leads to a decrease in self-efficacy, falling into a further vicious cycle.

'Manseika' means becoming chronic.

過食は、現代の消費社会が生み出した病理的な側面を象徴している。

Overeating symbolizes the pathological aspects created by modern consumer society.

'Byouri-teki' means pathological.

過食行動を分析することで、その人の未解決の葛藤が見えてくることがある。

By analyzing overeating behavior, one can sometimes see the person's unresolved conflicts.

'Mikaiketsu no kattou' means unresolved conflict.

過食を抑えるホルモンの分泌異常が、生物学的な要因として指摘されている。

Abnormal secretion of hormones that suppress overeating has been pointed out as a biological factor.

'Bunpitsu ijou' means abnormal secretion.

過食は単なる食欲の暴走ではなく、多面的なアプローチが必要な複雑な現象である。

Overeating is not merely a runaway appetite but a complex phenomenon requiring a multifaceted approach.

'Tamen-teki' means multifaceted.

過食を、実存的な空虚を埋めるための代償行為と捉える哲学的視点もある。

There is also a philosophical perspective that views overeating as a compensatory act to fill existential emptiness.

'Jitsuzon-teki' means existential; 'daishou koui' means compensatory act.

過食の蔓延は、コミュニティの解体と個人の孤立化を如実に物語っている。

The spread of overeating vividly tells the story of the dismantling of community and the isolation of the individual.

'Nyojitsu ni' means vividly/realistically.

過食衝動の抑制には、前頭前野の機能が深く関与していることが脳科学で解明されつつある。

Brain science is gradually elucidating that the functions of the prefrontal cortex are deeply involved in the suppression of overeating impulses.

'Zentou-zen'ya' is the prefrontal cortex.

過食という現象を、進化医学の観点から「飢餓への備え」のバグと解釈する説がある。

There is a theory that interprets the phenomenon of overeating as a 'bug' in the preparation for starvation from the perspective of evolutionary medicine.

'Shinka igaku' is evolutionary medicine.

過食への依存は、ドーパミン報酬系の回路が過剰に強化された結果である可能性が高い。

Dependence on overeating is highly likely the result of an excessively reinforced dopamine reward system circuit.

'Houshuu-kei' means reward system.

過食をめぐる言説は、しばしば個人の自己責任論に矮小化されがちである。

Discourse surrounding overeating tends to be trivialized into theories of individual self-responsibility.

'Waishouka' means trivialization/belittling.

過食行動の裏に潜むトラウマの再演を、精神分析的手法で紐解いていく。

We will unravel the reenactment of trauma lurking behind overeating behavior using psychoanalytic methods.

'Himodoku' means to unravel or decipher.

過食は、身体の境界線が曖昧になった現代人の、悲痛な自己主張なのかもしれない。

Overeating might be a painful self-assertion of modern people whose bodily boundaries have become blurred.

'Hitsu na' means painful/tragic.

Common Collocations

過食に走る

過食を抑える

過食の原因

過食気味

過食症

過食を防ぐ

過食の習慣

夜間過食

過食を繰り返す

過食の影響

Common Phrases

過食は万病の元

— Overeating is the source of all diseases. A common health proverb.

過食は万病の元と言うから、腹八分目を心がけよう。

過食に陥る

— To fall into the habit of overeating. Implies a negative spiral.

孤独感から過食に陥ってしまった。

ストレス性過食

— Stress-induced overeating. A very common modern term.

ストレス性過食で悩んでいる人が多い。

過食を止める

— To stop overeating. Used when discussing breaking the habit.

どうすれば過食を止められるでしょうか。

過食と向き合う

— To face one's overeating problem. Used in therapy or self-help.

自分の過食と向き合う勇気が必要だ。

過食を招く

— To lead to or invite overeating. Describes a causal factor.

睡眠不足は過食を招きやすい。

過食による肥満

— Obesity caused by overeating. A standard medical description.

過食による肥満を解消するために運動を始めた。

過食癖

— The habit/quirk of overeating. Describes a persistent trait.

子供の頃からの過食癖が抜けない。

過食を助長する

— To encourage or exacerbate overeating. Used for external factors.

テレビのCMが過食を助長しているという意見もある。

過食を改善する

— To improve or fix overeating habits. A positive health goal.

食生活を見直し、過食を改善する。

Often Confused With

過食 vs 食べ過ぎ (Tabesugi)

Tabesugi is for one-time events; Kashoku is for habits or disorders.

過食 vs 大食い (Oogui)

Oogui is having a large appetite (often neutral/positive); Kashoku is pathological overeating (negative).

過食 vs 飽食 (Houshoku)

Houshoku refers to the abundance of food in society; Kashoku refers to the individual act of eating too much.

Idioms & Expressions

"腹八分目に医者いらず"

— Eating until 80% full keeps the doctor away. The cultural antidote to kashoku.

過食を避けて、腹八分目に医者いらずを実践する。

Proverbial

"暴飲暴食"

— Reckless drinking and eating. Describes a wild binge.

忘年会で暴飲暴食してしまった。

Common Idiom

"食欲の秋"

— Autumn, the season of appetite. Often used as an excuse for kashoku.

食欲の秋だからといって、過食には注意が必要だ。

Seasonal Idiom

"喉元過ぎれば熱さを忘れる"

— Once the heat has passed the throat, the burn is forgotten. Used when people forget the pain of overeating and do it again.

過食で苦しんだのに、喉元過ぎれば熱さを忘れてまた食べてしまう。

Proverbial

"身を食う"

— To eat one's own body (ruin oneself). Overeating can be seen as 'mi o kuu' behavior.

過食は自分の身を食うようなものだ。

Literary

"口が卑しい"

— To be greedy for food (literally 'the mouth is low/vulgar'). Used to criticize kashoku.

過食ばかりしていると口が卑しいと思われるよ。

Informal / Critical

"胃袋を大きくする"

— To expand one's stomach capacity. Often leads to kashoku.

大食い大会のために胃袋を大きくしたら、過食が止まらなくなった。

Colloquial

"焼け食い"

— Desperate eating (eating to vent anger/despair). A specific type of kashoku.

仕事で失敗して焼け食いをしてしまった。

Colloquial

"食いだめ"

— Eating a lot at once to save up for later. A practice that often results in kashoku.

明日は忙しいからといって食いだめをすると過食になる。

Colloquial

"牛になる"

— To turn into a cow (Japanese superstition: if you lie down right after eating, you'll become a cow). Linked to the lethargy after kashoku.

過食してすぐに寝ると牛になると言われた。

Superstition / Casual

Easily Confused

過食 vs 暴食 (Boushoku)

Both mean eating too much.

Boushoku implies gluttony or 'wild' eating; Kashoku is more clinical and psychological.

忘年会で暴食した (Binge at a party) vs 過食症の治療 (Treatment for overeating disorder).

過食 vs 多食 (Tashoku)

Both mean 'many/much eating'.

Tashoku is purely quantitative and technical; Kashoku implies an 'excess' that is problematic.

多食傾向 (Tendency to eat much) vs 過食の悩み (Worrying about overeating).

過食 vs 偏食 (Henshoku)

Both are negative eating habits.

Henshoku is picky eating or unbalanced diet; Kashoku is about the quantity of food.

野菜を食べない偏食 (Picky eating) vs 止まらない過食 (Unstoppable overeating).

過食 vs 美食 (Bishoku)

Both have the 'shoku' kanji.

Bishoku means gourmet eating or being a foodie; Kashoku is overeating.

美食家 (Gourmet) vs 過食家 (rarely used, usually 'kashoku-gimi').

過食 vs 小食 (Shoushoku)

Opposite meanings.

Shoushoku is a small appetite; Kashoku is an excessive one.

私は小食です (I'm a light eater) vs 私は過食です (I have an overeating problem).

Sentence Patterns

[Noun] は [Noun] の原因です。

過食は太る原因です。

[Noun] は [Noun] に良くない影響を与えます。

過食は健康に良くない影響を与えます。

最近、[Noun]気味です。

最近、過食気味です。

ストレスから [Noun] に走ってしまった。

ストレスから過食に走ってしまった。

[Noun] を防ぐためには [Action] が必要だ。

過食を防ぐためには規則正しい生活が必要だ。

[Noun] は [Noun] の一形態として機能する。

過食は自己処罰の一形態として機能する。

[Noun] の背景には [Noun] が隠れている。

過食の背景には孤独感が隠れている。

[Noun] を [Noun] と捉える視点がある。

過食を実存的な空虚の代償行為と捉える視点がある。

Word Family

Nouns

過食症 (Kashokushou - Bulimia/Binge eating disorder)

過食癖 (Kashokuheki - Habit of overeating)

過食傾向 (Kashoku keikou - Overeating tendency)

Verbs

過食する (Kashoku suru - To overeat [formal])

食べ過ぎる (Tabesugiru - To overeat [standard])

Adjectives

過食的な (Kashoku-teki na - Overeating-like/Binge-like)

摂食障害 (Sesshoku shougai - Eating disorder)

肥満 (Himan - Obesity)

食欲 (Shokuyoku - Appetite)

満腹 (Manpuku - Full stomach)

空腹 (Kuufuku - Empty stomach)

How to Use It

frequency

High in health, psychology, and news contexts. Low in casual dining conversations.

Common Mistakes

Using 'kashoku' to say 'I'm full.' → お腹がいっぱいです (Onaka ga ippai desu).
'Kashoku' is a behavior or state, not a physical sensation of fullness. Saying 'I'm kashoku' doesn't make sense.
Using 'kashoku' for a one-time big meal. → 食べ過ぎた (Tabesugita).
'Kashoku' implies a more serious, often habitual, excess. 'Tabesugita' is for that one time you ate too much pizza.
Writing '大食' instead of '過食'. → 過食 (Kashoku).
While 'daishoku' is a word, it's very rare. 'Kashoku' is the standard term for overeating in modern Japanese.
Using 'kashoku' as a positive thing. → たくさん食べる (Takusan taberu).
'Kashoku' has a negative, medical connotation. If you like eating a lot, say 'Takusan taberu no ga suki' instead.
Confusing 'kashoku' with 'boushoku'. → Depends on context.
'Boushoku' is more about gluttony/wildness. 'Kashoku' is more about the medical/psychological aspect of eating too much.

Tips

Use -gimi for Softness

If you want to describe a habit without it sounding like a medical diagnosis, add '気味' (gimi). 'Kashoku-gimi' (過食気味) means 'a tendency to overeat' and is very common in daily conversation.

Respect the 'Hara Hachibu'

Japanese culture prizes moderation. When using 'kashoku,' remember that it is often viewed as a failure of 'jikokanri' (self-management). Be careful not to sound judgmental when using it to describe others.

Learn the Pair: Kashoku and Kyozhoku

In medical contexts, you will almost always see 'kashoku' (overeating) paired with 'kyozhoku' (refusal of food). Learning them as a set helps you understand the full spectrum of eating disorders.

Pitch Accent Matters

Remember the pitch: KA (high) - SHOKU (low). Pronouncing it flat might make it harder for native speakers to recognize in a sentence full of 'shoku' words.

Formal vs. Informal

Always check your environment. Use 'tabesugi' at a party and 'kashoku' in a health report. Using 'kashoku' casually can make the mood heavy.

The Root 'Ka'

The kanji 過 (ka) is very powerful. It appears in 'sugiru' (to exceed). Whenever you see this kanji in a compound, think 'too much' or 'beyond the limit.'

Medical Reports

If you are living in Japan and get a health checkup, look for '過食' in your results. It's a key keyword for doctors to flag potential lifestyle diseases.

Sino-Japanese Roots

Because 'kashoku' is a Sino-Japanese word, it sounds more 'intelligent' and 'academic' than the native Japanese 'tabesugi.' Use this to your advantage in formal writing.

Hashtags for Support

If you search #過食 on Japanese social media, you will find people sharing their struggles. This is a good way to see how the word is used in real, emotional contexts.

The Buffet Rule

Imagine a buffet sign that says 'Kashoku Forbidden.' It helps you associate the word with the act of going overboard at a food station.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'KA' as 'KArrying' too much food, and 'SHOKU' as the 'SHOCK' your body feels when you eat it all. KA-SHOKU: Carrying shock to your stomach.

Visual Association

Imagine a person trying to walk through a doorway (the kanji 過) but they are too wide because they 'ate' (食) too much. They are 'excessively' wide.

Word Web

過食 (Kashoku) 過剰 (Kajou - Excess) 過去 (Kako - Past/Passed) 通過 (Tsuuka - Passing through) 食事 (Shokuji - Meal) 食器 (Shokki - Tableware) 食品 (Shokuhin - Foodstuff) 食卓 (Shokutaku - Dining table)

Challenge

Try to use 'kashoku' in a sentence describing a health news report you imagined. Then, try to use 'tabesugi' to describe what you ate for dinner last night. Note the difference in feel.

Word Origin

The word is a 'Kango' (Sino-Japanese word) composed of two characters that have been used in Japanese for centuries. It follows the standard pattern of combining a prefix-like character (過 - excess) with a root (食 - eating).

Original meaning: To exceed the proper measure of food.

Sino-Japanese (derived from Middle Chinese roots).

Cultural Context

Be careful when using 'kashoku' to describe others, as it can sound like you are diagnosing them with an eating disorder. It is a sensitive topic related to body image and mental health.

In English-speaking cultures, 'overeating' is often used casually. In Japan, 'kashoku' is more likely to be treated as a medical or psychological symptom, reflecting a more clinical approach to behavioral health.

The film 'Spirited Away' (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) features the parents turning into pigs due to their 'kashoku' and greed. Japanese health campaigns often use the slogan 'Kashoku kinshi' (Overeating forbidden) during the New Year holidays. Many J-Pop songs about modern anxiety mention eating disorders or 'kashoku' as a sign of urban loneliness.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

At the Doctor's Office

過食の傾向がありますか？
過食を控えてください。
過食が原因で血圧が高いです。
過食症の疑いがあります。

Health and Wellness Blog

過食を防ぐ5つの方法
ストレスと過食の関係
過食を抑えるサプリメント
夜の過食を止めるには

Psychological Counseling

なぜ過食してしまうのですか？
過食は心の叫びです。
過食衝動をコントロールしましょう。
過食と自己肯定感の関係。

News / Social Issues

飽食の時代の過食問題
子供の過食が増加している
過食による医療費の増大
過食を助長する社会環境

Personal Journal / Diary

今日も過食してしまった。
過食をやめたい。
過食気味な自分を責める。
明日からは過食しない。

Conversation Starters

"最近、ストレスで過食気味なんだけど、どうすればいいかな？ (Lately I've been prone to overeating due to stress, what should I do?)"

"「腹八分目」って、過食を防ぐのに本当に効果があると思う？ (Do you think 'eating until 80% full' is really effective in preventing overeating?)"

"日本のテレビ番組って、大食いと過食の境界線が曖昧だと思わない？ (Don't you think Japanese TV shows have a blurry line between big eating and overeating?)"

"過食症について、学校で詳しく習ったことある？ (Did you ever learn about binge eating disorder in detail at school?)"

"夜中にお腹が空いた時、過食を我慢する方法を知ってる？ (Do you know any ways to resist the urge to overeat when you get hungry at night?)"

Journal Prompts

自分が「過食」してしまった時の感情を、日本語で詳しく書いてみましょう。 (Write in detail in Japanese about your emotions when you've over-eaten.)

現代社会において「過食」を避けるのが難しい理由は何だと思いますか？ (What do you think are the reasons it's difficult to avoid overeating in modern society?)

「過食」と「健康」のバランスについて、自分の考えを述べなさい。 (State your thoughts on the balance between overeating and health.)

ストレスが溜まった時、過食以外の解消法には何がありますか？ (What are some ways to relieve stress other than overeating?)

将来、過食のない社会を作るためには何が必要でしょうか？ (What is necessary to create a society without overeating in the future?)

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

It is not a 'bad' word like a swear word, but it is a negative term. It describes a health problem or an unhealthy habit, so it should be used with sensitivity. You wouldn't use it to compliment someone's appetite.

Yes, in a biological or veterinary context, you can use 'kashoku' to describe an animal that is eating excessively. For example, 'Kono inu wa kashoku no keikou ga aru' (This dog has a tendency to overeat).

'Kashoku' is the act of overeating (noun). 'Kashokushou' is the medical name for the disorder (Binge Eating Disorder or Bulimia). One is the behavior, the other is the diagnosis.

Use 'Tabesugita!' or 'Tabesugichatta!' These are the natural, casual ways to say it. Avoid 'Kashoku shita' unless you want to sound like a textbook or you are discussing a serious habit.

It appears when the plot gets serious, such as when a character is dealing with stress or a mental health arc. In comedic scenes, 'oogui' (big eater) is much more common.

Yes, 'shoku' (食) specifically refers to eating. For excessive drinking, you would use 'ka-in' (過飲) or the more common 'nomisugi' (飲み過ぎ).

It is written as 過 (excess/pass) and 食 (eat). Make sure to write the 'road' radical on the left side of 過 correctly.

Yes, 'metabo' (metabolic syndrome) is often discussed in Japanese media as a result of 'kashoku' and 'undou-busoku' (lack of exercise).

Metaphorically, it could describe a 'hunger' for information or consumption, but it is 99% used for physical food consumption.

Yes, it is generally considered a JLPT N3 or B1 level word. It's a word you should know for reading news and health documents.