Translation guide
A guide to expressing 'have sex' in Japanese, from neutral to slang, with notes on formality and context.
The most common and neutral loanword for 'have sex'. Widely understood and used in everyday conversation.
昨日、彼女とセックスした。
I had sex with my girlfriend yesterday.
Literally 'to have a physical relationship'. A slightly more formal or euphemistic way to say 'have sex'.
彼らは肉体関係を持っている。
They are having a physical relationship.
To say 'have sex' in a casual or slangy way, used among friends or in informal settings.
A very common slang verb meaning 'to do' or 'to have sex'. Crude but widely used among close friends.
昨日、やった？
Did you have sex yesterday?
Literally 'to sleep', but often used euphemistically to mean 'have sex', especially when combined with 'with someone'.
彼と寝た。
I slept with him (had sex).
From the letter 'H', a common euphemism for sex. Slightly childish or playful, but widely used.
エッチしよう。
Let's have sex.
Onomatopoeic slang for having sex, implying a rhythmic sound. Very casual and somewhat vulgar.
パコりたい。
I want to have sex.
To refer to having sex indirectly, often to avoid being explicit.
Literally 'to have a relationship', but often implies a sexual relationship. Context-dependent.
彼女と関係を持った。
I had a relationship (sexual) with her.
Literally 'to spend a night together', a romantic or literary euphemism for having sex.
彼らは一夜を共にした。
They spent the night together (had sex).
Literally 'to pile up bodies', a poetic euphemism for having sex.
二人は体を重ねた。
The two had sex.
To express 'have sex' in a vulgar or explicit manner, often used in crude contexts.
Literally 'to violate' or 'to rape', but can be used vulgarly to mean 'have sex' in a forceful or degrading way. Use with extreme caution.
This word implies violence or lack of consent. Do not use lightly.
彼女を犯した。
I had sex with her (forcefully).
Direct loanword from English 'fuck'. Very vulgar and explicit.
ファックしよう。
Let's fuck.
Many Japanese terms for 'have sex' are highly context-dependent. Using a vulgar term in a formal setting can be extremely inappropriate. When in doubt, use 'セックスする' or '性交する'.
While '寝る' (to sleep) can imply sex, it is ambiguous. 'セックスする' is explicit. Use '寝る' only when the context makes the meaning clear.
彼とセックスしたの？
Did you have sex with him?
彼らは昨夜、性交した。
They had sex last night.