When you're not feeling well, just saying 「気分が悪い」 (I feel bad) doesn't paint a very specific picture. Japanese has a wealth of mimetic words that precisely describe every kind of physical sensation — dizziness, chills, aches, exhaustion, and even the quality of your sleep. Learning these words not only makes your Japanese more natural, but also lets you accurately describe symptoms at the doctor's office.
Feeling Unwell: Dizziness and Chills
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| フラフラ | ふらふら | Dizzy, wobbly, unsteady | Anemia, drunk, can't stand straight |
| クラクラ | くらくら | Lightheaded, room spinning | Standing up too fast, blacking out |
| ガタガタ | がたがた | Shivering, trembling | Shaking from cold or fear |
| ゾクゾク | ぞくぞく | Chills / thrilling goosebumps | Coming down with a cold, horror movies, being moved |
Both フラフラ and クラクラ relate to dizziness, but with different nuances:
- フラフラ emphasizes the body swaying and being unsteady — from hunger, alcohol, or fatigue
- クラクラ emphasizes the visual sensation of blacking out or the room spinning
朝ごはんを食べなかったので、フラフラする。 → I skipped breakfast, so I'm all dizzy and wobbly.
急に立ち上がったら、クラクラした。 → I stood up suddenly and everything went black for a moment.
ゾクゾク is an interesting one — it can describe physical chills (a sign of illness), but also the thrill of excitement or goosebumps from something intense:
寒気がしてゾクゾクする。 → I feel chills running through my body.
あの映画はゾクゾクするほど面白い。 → That movie is so thrilling it gives you goosebumps.
Energy Levels
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| グッタリ | ぐったり | Completely drained, collapsed | Heatstroke, illness, total exhaustion |
| ヘトヘト | へとへと | Worn out, dead tired | After long exercise or work |
| ピンピン | ぴんぴん | Lively, full of energy | Very healthy and active |
| 元気はつらつ | げんきはつらつ | Bursting with energy | Looking vibrant and spirited |
Both グッタリ and ヘトヘト mean exhausted, but they paint different pictures:
- グッタリ → So drained you've collapsed and can't move, like a deflated balloon
- ヘトヘト → Dead tired but still functioning, like a phone at 1% battery
残業で帰ったら、もうヘトヘトだ。 → After working overtime, I was absolutely worn out.
熱中症でグッタリしている。 → They collapsed from heatstroke, completely drained.
The opposite, ピンピン, describes someone brimming with health and energy:
おばあちゃんは90歳でもピンピンしている。 → Grandma is still going strong at 90.
Physical Comfort
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| スッキリ | すっきり | Refreshed, clear-headed | After good sleep, solving a problem |
| サッパリ | さっぱり | Refreshed, clean and light | After a shower, haircut |
| ほかほか | ほかほか | Warm and cozy | Freshly cooked food, after a bath |
| ぐっすり | ぐっすり | Sound asleep, deep sleep | Sleeping deeply and peacefully |
スッキリ and サッパリ overlap in meaning but differ in focus:
- スッキリ → Leans toward mental refreshment: cleared your mind, solved a problem, woke up feeling great
- サッパリ → Leans toward physical refreshment: took a shower, changed clothes, got a haircut
よく寝たから、頭がスッキリした。 → I slept well, so my head feels clear.
シャワーを浴びてサッパリした。 → I took a shower and feel so refreshed.
昨日はぐっすり眠れた。 → I slept like a log last night.
ほかほかのご飯はおいしい。 → Warm, freshly cooked rice is the best.
Describing Pain
This group is especially useful at the doctor's office. When the doctor asks where it hurts and what kind of pain, these words let you describe it precisely:
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| ズキズキ | ずきずき | Throbbing pain (pulsing) | Migraines, toothaches |
| チクチク | ちくちく | Prickling, needle-like pain | Being pricked, sore throat |
| ヒリヒリ | ひりひり | Stinging, burning pain | Sunburn, scrapes, spicy food on lips |
| ガンガン | がんがん | Pounding headache, like being hammered | Hangover headache, severe headache |
歯がズキズキ痛む。 → My tooth is throbbing with pain.
日焼けで肌がヒリヒリする。 → My skin stings from the sunburn.
二日酔いで頭がガンガンする。 → I have a pounding headache from the hangover.
喉がチクチクする。 → My throat has a prickly pain.
Useful phrases at the doctor:
ここがズキズキ痛みます。 → It throbs right here.
昨日からガンガン頭が痛いです。 → I've had a pounding headache since yesterday.
Hunger and Eating
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| ペコペコ | ぺこぺこ | Starving, stomach growling | Very hungry |
| ガブガブ | がぶがぶ | Gulping down (drinks) | Chugging water or beer |
| パクパク | ぱくぱく | Chomping, eating eagerly | Eating with big bites |
お腹がペコペコだ。 → I'm absolutely starving.
暑いからビールをガブガブ飲んだ。 → It was hot, so I gulped down beer after beer.
子供がおやつをパクパク食べている。 → The kid is chomping away at snacks.
Grammar Patterns
When using mimetic words to describe body states, three grammar patterns come up most often:
| Pattern | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ～する | Mimetic word becomes a verb | フラフラする (feel dizzy) |
| ～だ / ～な | Used as a na-adjective | ヘトヘトだ (am exhausted) / ヘトヘトな体 (an exhausted body) |
| ～と + verb | Modifies a specific verb | ガタガタと震える (tremble shakily) |
Keep in mind that not every mimetic word works with every pattern. For instance, ぐっすり almost always pairs with 「眠る」 or 「寝る」 — you'd never say 「ぐっすりする」. The best way to learn the right collocations is through reading example sentences and listening to native speakers.
Summary
- Feeling unwell: フラフラ (wobbly), クラクラ (lightheaded), ガタガタ (shivering), ゾクゾク (chills/thrills)
- Energy levels: グッタリ (collapsed) and ヘトヘト (worn out) vs. ピンピン (lively)
- Comfort: スッキリ (mentally refreshed), サッパリ (physically refreshed), ぐっすり (deep sleep)
- Pain: ズキズキ (throbbing), チクチク (prickling), ヒリヒリ (stinging), ガンガン (pounding headache)
- Hunger and eating: ペコペコ (starving), ガブガブ (gulping), パクパク (chomping)
- Grammar: ～する, ～だ/な, ～と + verb — specific collocations come with practice
Practice Quiz
Q1. Both フラフラ and クラクラ relate to dizziness. How do they differ?
Show Answer
- フラフラ → Emphasizes the body swaying and being unsteady (from hunger, alcohol, fatigue, etc.)
- クラクラ → Emphasizes the visual sensation of blacking out or the room spinning
In short, フラフラ is about wobbling, クラクラ is about the world spinning.
Q2. You're at the doctor and want to say "I've had a pounding headache since yesterday, like someone's hammering my head." How would you say it in Japanese?
Show Answer
昨日から頭がガンガン痛いです。
ガンガン describes a severe, pounding headache — as if something is hammering inside your head. It's the go-to word for hangover headaches or any intense headache.
Q3. Make one sentence with スッキリ and one with サッパリ that show their difference.
Show Answer
- 問題が解決してスッキリした。 → The problem is solved and I feel so much better. (Mental refreshment)
- 髪を切ってサッパリした。 → I got a haircut and feel so refreshed. (Physical refreshment)
スッキリ leans toward mental clarity; サッパリ leans toward physical freshness.