Translation guide
The English verb 'feel' covers physical sensations, emotions, opinions, and intuitive guesses. Japanese uses different verbs and expressions depending on what is being felt. This guide organizes the most common meanings for learners.
Describing what you sense through touch or how your body feels.
General verb for sensing something physically or emotionally. Often used with を.
手に冷たさを感じる。
I feel coldness in my hand.
痛みを感じた。
I felt pain.
Used with nouns for sensations (smell, taste, sound, feeling). Very natural for bodily sensations.
To touch (actively). Use when you want to feel something by touching it.
Describes the texture or feel of something when touched. Often used with adjectives like いい (good) or 悪い (bad).
このセーターは手触りがいい。
This sweater feels nice to the touch.
Expressing how you feel emotionally or your current mood.
Expressing what you think or believe about something.
The most common way to say 'I feel (that)...' when giving an opinion. Use 〜と思う.
Expressing a gut feeling or prediction without solid evidence.
The go-to expression for 'I have a feeling that...' or 'I feel like...'.
雨が降る気がする。
I feel like it's going to rain.
彼は来ない気がする。
I have a feeling he won't come.
Expressing that you want to do something or feel like doing it.
Expressing that you understand or share someone's feelings.
Literally 'understand the feeling'. Very common for 'I feel you' or 'I know how you feel'.
あなたの気持ちがわかる。
I feel you. / I understand how you feel.
English uses 'feel' in many idiomatic ways that don't map to a single Japanese verb. For example, 'I feel hot' is 暑い (atsui) not 暑さを感じる, and 'I feel sick' is 気分が悪い (kibun ga warui). Often, Japanese uses adjectives or noun+がする constructions instead of a verb for 'feel'.
感じる (kanjiru) is for direct sensory or emotional perception, while 気がする (ki ga suru) is for intuitive hunches or vague feelings. Use 感じる when you physically feel something; use 気がする when you have a feeling that something is the case.
寒さを感じる。
I feel the cold. (physical sensation)
Feel this cloth. It's really soft.
Used to express a more reflective or thoughtful feeling. Often follows a clause.
彼の言葉に励まされたと感じた。
I felt encouraged by his words.
Often used for 'feel' when expressing an opinion or thought, but can overlap with emotional feelings in casual speech.
寂しいと思う。
I feel lonely.
彼は正しいと思う。
I feel that he is right.
この計画はうまくいかないと思う。
I feel this plan won't work.
Expresses a hunch or intuitive feeling. Softer than 思う.
何か忘れている気がする。
I feel like I'm forgetting something.
Can be used for opinions when emphasizing a sensory or emotional impression.
彼の態度に違和感を感じる。
I feel something off about his attitude.
Adds a nuance of 'it seems like' or 'I kind of feel that'. Slightly more tentative.
どこかで会ったような気がする。
I feel like I've met you somewhere before.
Noun meaning 'intuition' or 'sixth sense'. Used in phrases like 勘が働く (intuition works) or 勘で (by intuition).
女の勘が当たった。
My woman's intuition was right.
I feel like going to karaoke today.
Expresses that something has caught your interest or you feel drawn to it. 'Feel like' in the sense of being curious.
あの店が気になる。
I feel curious about that shop. / That shop caught my eye.
To empathize or sympathize. More formal than 気持ちがわかる.
彼の話に共感した。
I felt for him. / I empathized with his story.
寒くなる気がする。
I have a feeling it will get cold. (intuition)
寒くなる気がする。
I have a feeling it will get cold. (intuition)