How do you say "sick" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "sick" is 病気の (byouki no). It is a adjective pronounced "byoh-oo-kee noh".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Pronunciation

病気の is written in kanji and hiragana. Romanised as byouki no, it sounds roughly like "byoh-oo-kee noh" to an English ear.

Example sentence

彼女は今日病気です。

Kanojo wa kyou byouki desu.

She is sick today.

Usage notes

Byouki no (病気の) uses の to connect the noun byouki (illness) with a subject. In predicate position, Japanese speakers say byouki desu rather than byouki no desu. It is used for both minor and serious illness.

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Questions about 病気の

How do you pronounce 病気の?

病気の is romanised as byouki no. Say it roughly like "byoh-oo-kee noh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 病気の formal or casual?

病気の is a na-adjective or noun-adjective. It is neutral in register and fits naturally in both casual and polite sentences. Add na before a noun, or use desu for a polite predicate.

How is 病気の written in Japanese?

病気の is written using kanji and hiragana. Kanji characters carry the core meaning; any hiragana or katakana that follow show grammatical endings.

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation.